Weekend Long Read: How to Stop Net Dumping in China’s Largest Fishing Ground

Swimming crabs, or portunid crabs, are a major attraction in Zhoushan, China's largest fishing ground in East China's Zhejiang province, drawing numerous fishing vessels annually. Fishermen typically use low-cost, single-use, plastic gillnets to catch these crabs [para. 1][para. 2]. While fishing, delays often occur due to nets getting snagged on shipwrecks, rocky reefs, and other underwater debris or “ghost gear,” a problem that has increased with the rise in fishing vessel numbers over the past two decades [para. 3][para. 4][para. 5].

Yu Shanhai, a seasoned fisherman, noted that the seabed has accumulated a lot of debris over the years. Fishermen, although unable to see the underwater conditions, have become adept at avoiding areas likely to harbor debris. Despite their efforts, they frequently encounter snags, leading to the widespread saying, “Seven nets out of ten get snagged,” resulting in damaged or lost nets that contribute to the ghost gear problem [para. 6][para. 7][para. 8].

Ghost gear, made up of highly durable plastic nets, continues to trap marine animals long after being discarded, causing marine life injuries and deaths [para. 9][para. 10]. Experts indicate that China lacks sufficient policies to tackle this issue and suggest introducing legal measures, financial incentives for gear recovery, and better management practices [para. 11].

Wang Yixin, co-founder of the Zhoushan City Green Marine Ecology Promotion Center (Zhoushan GMC), underscored the ghost gear problem's severity. A survey conducted by his organization in 2021 revealed that most ghost gear comprised single-use gillnets for catching crabs. The survey also noted that during peak autumn season, up to 2,200 vessels operate in a 35,000-square-kilometer area, using net panels that can span several nautical miles. An estimated 18,600 tons of disposable gillnets were added to the fishing ground in 2021 alone [para. 13][para. 14][para. 15].

The global scale of the ghost gear problem is also significant, with a 2020 WWF report estimating that 500,000 to a million tons of fishing gear are abandoned yearly in the oceans, posing threats to biodiversity. Environmental campaigners are pushing for the inclusion of ghost gear provisions in a U.N. treaty to end plastics pollution [para. 18].

Fishermen, being both contributors to and victims of the ghost gear problem, could also play a crucial role in its solution. Yu Shanhai advocates for bringing back any encountered debris to prevent future snags [para. 19][para. 20]. However, the additional workload and logistical issues involved in retrieving and storing ghost gear on the vessels are deterrents without financial incentives [para. 21][para. 22][para. 23][para. 24].

Wang Yixin points out that extreme weather conditions often make gear retrieval difficult, leading fishermen to dump nets overboard. He advocates for a reward system to incentivize fishermen to bring scrapped gear back for recycling. His organization explores market-based recycling models that turn marine plastic waste into valuable products [para. 25][para. 26]. Recycling has its limitations, with mechanical recycling being energy-intensive and causing air pollution, and chemical recycling possibly causing heavy metal pollution. Therefore, changing fishing methods is suggested as a fundamental solution [para. 27][para. 28].

Despite the challenges, more comprehensive management and legal regulations are needed. Existing legal frameworks do not directly address ghost gear, making regulatory enforcement challenging. Experts suggest creating a directory of permitted fishing gear to standardize management, alongside systems for reporting gear use and condition [para. 30][para. 31][para. 32]. Even though large-scale clean-up operations are difficult and costly, targeted efforts in crucial areas could be beneficial [para. 34].

These insights were shared on the Dialogue Earth website on August 27, emphasizing the urgency and complexity in tackling the ghost gear problem [para. 35].