Retrieval of lost fishing gear
Removing lost fishing gear from the sea is important to reduce littering and ghost fishing.
Fishing gear is lost in Norwegian waters every year. Gear left on the seabed contributes to litter and may result in hidden mortality for fish and shellfish through ghost fishing. By retrieving the fishing gear we can reduce ghost fishing, spread of smaller plastic particles through fragmentation, and reduce the risk of new gear going lost through collisions and hooking.
Everyone who has lost fishing gear must report the loss. For commercial fishers, the Directorate of Fisheries consider these reported spots for the annual retrieval survey for lost fishing gear.
Lost fishery equipment removed from the seabed in August/September 2020
Reporting of lost fishing gear for commercial fisheries
Recreational fishers can report losses through the app "Fritidsfiske”
Retrieval survey for lost fishing gear
Every year, since 1983, the Directorate of Fisheries has organized surveys to alleviate the impact of lost fishing gear. The main focus is cleaning the most important fishing grounds along the Norwegian coast.
The surveys have concentrated mainly on gill nets, traps and pots, because these gears are assumed to have the largest impact in terms of ghost fishing. In addition, large amounts of lines, seines, and other articles related to fisheries such as ropes, wires and anchors, have been retrieved.
Since the annual surveys started in the 1980s over 1000 tons of gear has been removed from the sea, including 22 000 gill nets, with a combined length of over 600 kilometers.
| Year | Gill nets (No) | Traps and pots (No) | Lines (m) | Wire (m) | Ropes (m) | Trawl/nets (Whole or parts) | Anchors (No) | Buoys (No) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 935 | 50 | 12 000 | 3 600 | 10 000 | 2 | 7 | 4 |
| 2015 | 815 | 3 | 20 000 | 3 000 | 4 000 | 5 | 10 | 10 |
| 2016 | 770 | 80 | 45 000 | 4 000 | 9 000 | 5 | 13 | 4 |
| 2017 | 815 | 147 | 27 000 | 2 000 | 16 400 | 6 | 13 | 25 |
| 2018 | 765 | 89 | 29 800 | 3 591 | 11 260 | 11 | 14 | 12 |
| 2018* | 8600 | 269 900 | ||||||
| 2019 | 820 | 1242 | 23 700 | 800 | 56 700 | 6 | 28 | 19 |
*Extraordinary survey for retrieval of snow crab traps in the Barents Sea.
If possible, the retrieved gear is either returned to the fisher who reported it lost, or sent to recycling. The remaining gear is deposited.
Map of retrieved gear
Video: The Norwegian retrieval survey
Local gear retrieval
We assume that a considerable amount of fishing gear is lost in coastal areas, which are not covered by the annual retrieval survey. This can be sourced to both commercial and recreational fisheries.
The Directorate of Fisheries is currently working on pilot projects concerning cleaning and gear retrieval in coastal areas, and testing different methods. So far, searching with dredge and ROVs for lobster and crab-traps have been tested. The project will be expanded to other fisheries and different techniques.
How can you search for your lost fishing gear?
Both commercial and recreational fishers can perform a search for lost fishing gear, through dredging. This is a method where an anchor is pulled at low speed along the bottom where the gear is assumed to be located. The goal is for the anchor to attach to the gear, which can then be recovered from the ocean.