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Toolkit for derelict fishing gear projects

February 2015

MARELITT Toolkit for marine litter projects

TABLE OF CONTENT

I. ABOUT THE TOOLKIT Pg. 01

Objectives and scope of the Toolkit Pg. 02

Structure of the Toolkit Pg. 04

II. WHY SET UP A DFG PROJECT? Pg. 05

III. PLANNING YOUR PROJECT

Writing your project plan Pg. 08

Your local situation Pg. 09

Objectives Pg. 10

Project results Pg. 12

Project budget Pg. 14

IV. PROJECT PARTICIPANTS

Project team Pg. 16

Involvement of fishermen Pg. 17

Participants in DFG retrieval Pg. 18

Port authorities Pg. 20

Waste management and recycling companies Pg. 21

V. IMPLEMENTING YOUR PROJECT

Development of prevention and mitigation measures Pg. 22

Selection of locations where to retrieve DFG Pg. 25

DFG retrieval methods Pg. 28

Planning DFG retrieval activities Pg. 32

Reception of DFG at the port Pg. 35

Recycling and disposal Pg. 36

Monitoring DFG Pg. 38

Raising awareness of the causes and impact of DFG Pg. 40

Project communication Pg. 41

VI. PROJECT MONITORING AND EVALUATION Pg. 42

VII. FUNDING FOR YOUR PROJECT

Funding strategy Pg. 43

Motivation for project sponsors Pg. 44

Applying for EU funding Pg. 46

VIII. COMPLEMENTARY ACTIVITIES Pg. 48

REFERENCE LIST Pg. 49

Photo Credits: fishing vessel: Jan Cools; Containers with retrieved nets (Sweden): Mats Nilsson; Retrieval campaign in Sweden: Per-Olof Larsson; Nets on the beach: ©WWF Poland/O Skumial 2; containers with nets (Ireland): Jan Cools.

I. ABOUT THE TOOLKIT

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This Toolkit is developed for organisations that want to initiate a project to reduce the

impact of derelict fishing gear (DFG) on the marine environment. When setting up a DFG

project, this Toolkit will support you in the planning and implementation of your project.

This Toolkit does not provide a single recipe for how you should develop your project.

Instead, it points out some important issues you should think of when setting up your

project and provides advice on how to overcome problems that you may face when

setting up a DFG project.

I. ABOUT THE TOOLKIT

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Objectives and scope of the Toolkit

DFG is a common marine litter item and is commonly defined as abandoned, lost or

otherwise discarded fishing gear. This Toolkit is designed to cover DFG retrieval in marine

waters. Freshwater occurrences of DFG present different retrieval issues and are not

covered by this Toolkit.

The guidance in this Toolkit is prepared by the MARELITT team, based on a review of

reports from DFG research and retrieval projects, the assessment of existing DFG projects

and the lessons learnt through supporting the initiation of a new DFG project in the Baltic

Sea. This new DFG project (MARELITT Baltic) is being initiated by three organisations with

previous DFG experience: WWF Poland, Keep the Estonian Sea Tidy (KEST) and the

Swedish municipality of Simrishamn, as a member of KIMO Baltic. This Toolkit has greatly

benefitted from the review and comments from the representatives of these

organisations: Piotr Predki (WWF Poland) Marek Press (KEST) and Vesa Tschernij

(Simrishamn). In addition, valuable comments have been provided by two experts on DFG

retrieval, Ryszard Malik and Per-Olof Larsson, who have worked previously with WWF

Poland and the municipality of Simrishamn, respectively, on DFG retrieval issues.

MARELITT is an EU-funded project aiming at identifying and disseminating good practices

for the removal of litter and derelict fishing gear from the sea. During 2013 and 2014, the

MARELITT team assessed all marine litter retention (sometimes referred to as ’fishing for

litter’), dedicated marine litter collection and DFG retrieval projects in Europe for which

information was available. Although various - also EU-funded - research projects on DFG

have been conducted, to date very few DFG retrieval projects have been undertaken in

the EU. It is only in the Baltic Sea region (Poland, Lithuania and in particular in Sweden)

that extensive previous experience with the location and the retrieval of DFG can be

found.

This Toolkit is the first attempt in the EU to provide guidance on DFG projects, and it is

expected that the organisations that use the Toolkit, will be able to improve it based on

their experience. It is recognised that there are still many unknowns with respect to the

preventive, mitigating and retrieval measures to reduce the impact of DFG, but that over

time, as more projects will be implemented, experience will be gained and expertise and

knowledge will be improved. It is anticipated that this Toolkit will instigate and encourage

the undertaking of these projects.

DFG projects are initiatives under which measures are developed and taken to reduce the impact of DFG. Such measures can be broadly divided in three categories:

1. Prevention (avoid the occurrence of DFG in the environment);

2. Mitigation (reduce the impact of DFG in the environment); and

3. Remediation (remove DFG from the environment).

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I. ABOUT THE TOOLKIT

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DFG monitoring and raising awareness are cross-cutting measures that can complement a

DFG project.

While preventive measures are the most effective way to tackle DFG, a mix of the three

categories of measures is needed to successfully reduce the DFG problem. While this

Toolkit aims to provide an understanding of a range of possible prevention and mitigation

measures, the emphasis will be on practical guidance on remediation, and particularly on

the retrieval of DFG.

The removal of DFG involves fishermen and qualified divers locating derelict fishing gear.

They use various technologies to locate DFG, such as side-scan sonar for sea-bed surveys,

map locations on the basis of interviews with fisherman, or information systems that track

lost gear, and remove the gear from the marine environment using specialist equipment.

The retrieved nets are disposed of or recycled in an environmentally sound manner. These

projects can be combined with related activities, such as beach cleaning. While this Toolkit

does not specifically cover these additional activities, they are briefly described at the end

of the Toolkit.

The fisheries sector is very diverse. This diversity is reflected in the causes of DFG and the

extent of the DFG problem. A detailed understanding of the fisheries sector, and of the

causes and impacts, is required to design effective measures, tailored to particular

locations and fisheries. This DFG Toolkit therefore aims to provide also an initial

understanding of the various causes and impacts of DFG, and of the categories of

stakeholders that should be targeted when designing measures.

I. ABOUT THE TOOLKIT

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Structure of the Toolkit

This Toolkit broadly follows the different steps of a DFG project. Section 2 on Why set up a

DFG project discusses impacts and causes of DFG. The section on Planning your project

(Section 3) focuses on the first steps you should take in planning your project, such as

understanding your local situation (type of sea bottom; hot spots, such as ship wrecks),

defining the objectives for your project and preparing your project budget. The section on

Project participants (Section 4) helps you to engage stakeholders in your project and

describes their potential role in the project. The section on Implementing your project

(Section 5) provides practical advice on each step of a DFG project, from collecting the nets

to managing how they will be treated or disposed of once they returned to shore. Section

6, on Project monitoring and evaluation, provides advice on measuring the progress and

achievements of your project. The section on Funding for your project (Section 7) provides

guidance on how to seek funding and approach sponsors for your project. Section 8, on

Complementary activities, highlights some other marine litter activities that might

complement your DFG project.

The Toolkit also provides a set of ready-made tools that you can tailor to the specifics of

your project. These tools are provided as downloadable attachments.

The whole Toolkit is also available for download in a printable version.

II. WHY SET UP A DFG PROJECT?

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DFG is found in each of Europe’s four regional seas. Due to the continuous growth in the

quantity of litter and the slow rate of degradation of most marine litter items, the marine

litter problem continues to worsen. Plastic marine litter items, such as fishing nets, do not

biodegrade, but are split into micro-plastics due to exposure to sunlight.

Some degree of DFG is unavoidable due to the environment in which fishing takes place

(conditions such as weather, currents, tides, the depth of the sea or the type of sea

bottom) and the technology used (loss rates of DFG vary between and within fisheries).

The rates of permanent net loss are estimated to be rather low – well below one percent

of nets deployed - in relation to the total number of nets used in EU waters (Brown et al,

2005). In most cases, the loss of gear is unwanted by the fisherman and has negative

effects in terms of lost time and costs. However, in some cases fishing gear is also

intentionally discarded, mostly to avoid the waste management cycle and related cost or

efforts.

MARELITT has developed a preliminary understanding of the causes and impacts of DFG

and identified the relevant stakeholders, which is sufficient to justify immediate action.

Causes of DFG

Accidental loss when nets are snagged on rock, coral or wrecks or broken when

fishermen attempt to retrieve them.

Use of cheaper, low-quality gear. Fishing gear has become more durable, but also

more expensive, which means that fishermen cannot afford to lose costly gear.

However, lower-quality, cheaper gear which is more easily abandoned or lost, is

being increasingly used in some areas and fisheries. There will be limited incentives

for retrieving this gear due to the low cost.

Spatial pressure, such as gear conflicts between gillnetters and trawlers.

Adverse weather conditions.

Discharge of unwanted gear, including non-operational gear (resulting from

reductions in the fishing fleet and quotas) and waste resulting from repair work

during fishing trips.

Illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing. In these cases, nets can be

abandoned to escape enforcement.

An indirect cause is the absence of adequate and affordable port reception facilities, which

may encourage dumping of unwanted fishing gear at sea rather than disposal onshore.

A more detailed overview of the possible causes is given in the Overview of Causes of DFG which is available for download.

II. WHY SET UP A MARINE LITTER RETENTION PROJECT?

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Impacts of DFG

Environmental impacts:

Synthetic DFG is a potential source of hazardous (lead) and toxic (plastic) materials

in the marine environment, and if improperly disposed of, through open air burning

for example, a source of toxic air emissions.

‘Ghost fishing’ (the continued catching of species by DFG).

Ingestion of gear-related litter by marine fauna.

Entanglement of marine wildlife in DFG and alterations to the benthic environment.

Health risks:

Food chain contamination.

Degraded bathing water quality.

Safety risks:

Entanglement of swimmers and divers in DFG, and of propellers, which represents a

navigational hazard for mariners.

Economic impacts:

For fishermen: loss of costly gear, lost operating time, contamination of catches,

stock reduction, physical damage to vessels and nets, etc.

For local authorities, port authorities and tourism sector due to clean-up costs.

While the impact of DFG is overwhelmingly negative, DFG may have a relatively small

positive environmental impact. DFG can function as artificial reefs and provide protective

habitats for plants, small fish and animals such as marine algae. However, these reefs can

also increase the negative environmental impact of DFG, as the marine life can attract

predators like fish and eider ducks which can get entangled in the nets and die. Overall,

DFG has a significantly greater negative impact on natural marine habitats than positive

impact.

A more detailed overview of the possible impacts of DFG is given in the Overview of Impacts of DFG, which is available for download.

In general, your DFG project can provide a forum for bringing together all key stakeholders

– such as fishermen, gear manufacturers, port authorities, recycling companies and policy

makers – to think about and to implement solutions to prevent the loss and discarding of

nets in the sea and to reduce the impact of unavoidable DFG. Involving fishermen in the

retrieval of DFG can promote their role as guardians of the marine environment, helping

II. WHY SET UP A DFG PROJECT?

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them contribute to protecting their working environment and reducing the problem of

DFG in their fishing area.

A challenge in setting up a DFG project might be that, until now, DFG received less attention that other types of marine litter projects, such as beach cleaning or marine litter retention (‘fishing for litter’) projects. Various international legal and policy regimes recognise the DFG issue, but there is has been limited implementation and enforcement. Also, while several research projects have been carried out, specific DFG policies on prevention and mitigation at EU, regional or national level are largely absent. There are new positive developments though, for example through the various marine litter action plans that have been or are being prepared for Europe’s regional seas.

III. PLANNING YOUR PROJECT

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Writing your project plan

When planning your project, it is useful to record the steps of your project in a written

document. This project plan will:

Set out your project’s context, its objectives, activities and required resources.

Help you to move your project forward by providing a timeline for your project, by

clearly defining who will do what and by making sure you stay focused on the

objectives of your project.

Provide a clear, convincing justification for your project, and will be indispensable

for communicating with organisations who will participate in your project.

A template for your project plan is available for download. This template can be

modified according to the needs of your project. The sections below in this Toolkit

provide further detailed guidance on the project plan template.

III. PLANNING YOUR PROJECT

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Your local situation

Understanding your local situation will be the starting point for your project plan. A

situation analysis should give you a clear understanding of the problem of DFG in your

area, which is needed to develop your objectives and to select and design project activities

that fit well in the project area and that will allow you to achieve your objectives. It will

also help you to identify in advance potential obstacles and challenges that you will be

faced with in the implementation of the project.

A situation analysis for setting up a DFG project should consider the following items:

A brief description of the DFG problem in the area, including the presence and likely

location of spots where large quantities of DFG accumulate.

The intervention area, which is the wider area where the project will operate and

where DFG retrieval locations will be identified and prioritised (including its total

surface).

The fishing fleet active in the area: the main fisheries, the number and types of

vessels for each of the fisheries, the level of activity and the gear that they mainly

use.

The relevant ports where the vessels are registered that may participate in the

project and/or that operate in the intervention area.

The existing DFG reception facilities in each of the ports.

Waste infrastructure in the region (sorting, recycling, landfilling and incineration

facilities).

Relevant stakeholders in the area, such as port organisations, managing authorities,

waste management companies, fishermen’s associations and diving companies

with relevant experience and qualifications.

Characteristics of the area that have an impact on gear loss rates and on retrieval,

such as seabed features (such as depth, topography, common soil composition e.g.

sand, rocks), marine life, presence of nature reserves or the presence of busy

shipping lanes.

Any previous or existing projects that are relevant to your project.

III. PLANNING YOUR PROJECT

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Objectives

When establishing a DFG project, it is import to clearly define the overall and specific

objectives of your project. This will help you to ensure that your project activities

contribute to your objectives. The objectives of your project should be based on your local

project situation and should be realistic given the available resources.

The overall objective of your project will most likely be to reduce the impact of DFG. Your

project might also have a number of specific objectives that will support your project in

meeting its overall objective. The level of ambition of your specific objectives can vary

greatly depending of your local situation and on what you think is achievable given your

research and the cooperation of other participants in the project. For example, specific

project objectives may include:

Improving the understanding of the problem of DFG in the intervention area.

Your project might aim to study the problem of DGF through collecting information,

for example on location, type, material and age or general state of nets that are

being retrieved.

Raising awareness of the DFG problem and of the negative impacts of DFG in the

intervention area and on the various stakeholders.

Information on the characteristics of the DFG problem and its impact in your

intervention area can be used to conduct awareness raising activities.

Behavioural change among the various stakeholders.

By raising their awareness of the measures that certain stakeholders can take to

reduce the problem, behavioural change can be promoted. The project may, for

example, raise the awareness of fishermen on the measures that they can take to

reduce the occurrence of DFG (such as reporting of DFG under a ‘no fault’ reporting

system) or encourage gear manufacturers to develop biodegradable gear or include

tracking mechanisms in gear.

The retrieval of DFG from prioritised areas, to reduce the health and safety,

economic, social and environmental impact of DFG that is present in the marine

environment. There is an environmental benefit in DFG retrieval if it can be done in

a safe and an environmentally sensitive manner, without unnecessary damage to

the marine habitat and ecosystem, and if the retrieved DFG can be disposed of or

preferably, recycled, in an environmentally sound manner.

III. PLANNING YOUR PROJECT

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Achieving an effective management system for derelict fishing gear in participating

ports

Depending on the system already in place in the local fishing ports, the project

objective might be to integrate DFG in the ports’ existing waste management

system. If there are no reception facilities in some ports, the objective can be to

create a waste management system in these ports. The objective of the

management system should be the collection and environmentally sound

treatment of all DFG. Where possible, recycling should be considered.

III. PLANNING YOUR PROJECT

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Project results

Defining a set of results that you expect to see from your project will help you to monitor

whether your project is on track to meeting its objectives. The expected results should

therefore be aligned with the project objectives. Objectives, and the related results, should

be SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and time-bound).

When possible, the results should be specified using quantitative indicators as these

enable clearer targeting and tracking. If this is not practical, results can be described in a

qualitative manner. Indicators are quantitative or qualitative factors or variables that

provide a simple and reliable means to measure achievement of objectives (and therefore

of results). Targets can also be established by setting out the value for each indicator that

you expect to achieve in your project by a given point in time. Targets are often broken

down by year.

Examples of expected project results (some examples of possible indicators are provided in

brackets):

Knowledge of the DFG problem (causes and impacts of DFG; types, amounts and

location) and the possible measures to reduce the impact of DFG is improved.

A set of DFG prevention, mitigation and remedial measures is proposed to the

relevant stakeholders, such as fishermen, port authorities, gear manufacturers,

recycling companies and policy makers, encouraging actions and changes to

attitudes and working practices, to reduce the impact of DFG.

Guidance is developed on the retrieval of DFG from the open sea, for organisations

that wish to start their own DFG retrieval project.

DFG is retrieved. Possible indicators include: The number of vessels/fishermen

participating in DFG retrieval operations; Total area cleaned from DFG; Total

amount of nets collected (tonnes, metres) by the end of the first year of the project,

XX by the end of the second year of the project; Average amount of nets collected

per vessel per day at sea.

Retrieved DFG is managed in an environmentally sound manner. Possible indicators

include: Waste management rates (% of total amount of DFG collected): Recycling

(%); Landfilling (%) and Incineration with energy recovery (%).

Awareness is increased among relevant stakeholders of the impacts of the DFG

problem in the area and of the measures they could take to reduce the impact.

Possible indicators include: Number of DFG workshops organised; Number of

III. PLANNING YOUR PROJECT

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fishermen that participated in DFG training workshops; Number of project website

visitors.

DFG projects contribute to changes in the wider fishing sector, such as industry-wide

changes resulting in a reduced number of fishermen discarding their nets at sea, or

the development of an effective waste management system, with adequate and

affordable port reception facilities in all fishing ports so that fishermen can properly

discharge or their old nets.

III. PLANNING YOUR PROJECT

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Project budget

The cost of a DFG project will vary greatly depending on the size of the project (the

number of vessels and persons participating and their number of days at sea), the data

collection and analysis required as well as the communication activities undertaken. The

most significant cost items are likely to be the costs of labour (project coordinator(s),

vessel crew and, if they are used, divers), fuel and fees for the disposal or recycling of the

nets. The project management and the waste management costs might be partly covered

by an in-kind contribution from your own organisation or waste management

organisations.

A project budget template for DFG projects is available for download.

Costs categories to be taken into account when planning your budget are:

Capital expenses: Capital expenses are the costs of the assets of your project, such

as equipment. This part of the template allows for depreciation costs to be

calculated, and considers whether the equipment is pre-owned or purchased for

the purpose of the project. If equipment is used for other purposes, the percentage

dedicated to the project can be indicated.

Operating expenses: These are the recurring costs that the project will have over its

lifetime. Expenses such as management staff, supplies, materials, fees, etc. are

included here. It is important to distinguish whether the amount of these costs is

fixed (e.g. project management time) or variable (e.g. they depend on the amount

of DFG collected, such as waste management fees).

Set-up costs: These are ‘one-off’ costs that will occur only at the beginning of the

project, rather than on a regular basis. They will need to be amortised across the

lifetime of the project, in order to get an accurate understanding of project costs

per year.

Costs can be calculated per operational day, per unit of DFG and per unit of habitat area

restored. Operational days include vessel transit to and from the retrieval site, actual

retrieval operations and unloading and storage in the port of the retrieved DFG.

Your project budget will be the basis for developing your funding strategy and approach

potential project sponsors. You will find more guidance on seeking funding for your project

in Section 7 of the Toolkit.

IV. PROJECT PARTICIPANTS

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This section discusses the project team and the stakeholders that may participate in your

project, in particular the following:

Commercial fishermen, who may provide information on the locations of DFG

and/or carry out the actual retrieval of the DFG.

Qualified divers, who might be recruited to participate in DFG retrieval activities.

Fishing port authorities, which may provide appropriate port reception facilities

that also take DFG.

Waste management and recycling companies, which may recycle retrieved DFG.

Other stakeholders that could support your project, but that are not discussed in more

detail in this Toolkit include for example:

Fishing gear manufacturers, who may, for example, change the design or the

material of their gears to reduce gear losses or to reduce the impact of gear once

lost, or who may get involved in recycling.

Commercial shipping sector: Cargo ships, tankers, ferries/cruise liners can be

impacted by DFG (e.g. damage to propellers).

Sports and recreational fishers: While this Toolkit focuses on the commercial

fishing sector, the recreational sector can also be an important source of DFG in

some countries, and can also be impacted by DFG. They may further provide

information on the locations of DFG.

A Stakeholder Overview Table is available for downloaded, providing a more

detailed overview of the stakeholders that may be involved directly or indirectly

in a DFG project.

IV. PROJECT PARTICIPANTS

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Project team

As the lead organisation establishing a DFG project, your organisation will be responsible

for the overall management of the project and for the coordination of participants and

partners. In general, your role in the project may involve the following steps:

Establishing a project team and appointing a project manager.

Developing a project plan, including indicators and targets for monitoring and

evaluation.

Identifying and contacting participants in the DFG retrieval (and develop

agreements with them)

Identifying and securing resources for the project.

Sourcing and ordering services and supplies (equipment, containers if required,

etc.), and distributing them.

Developing DFG retrieval guidelines and organising meetings for participating

fishermen.

Monitoring and evaluating project progress and results and preparing any required

reports (e.g. to funding sources or other supervisory bodies).

Reflecting on the results of monitoring and evaluation reports and modifying the

project approach as appropriate.

Strong management of the project and regular contact with all stakeholders that have a

direct impact on the project are critical to the success of the project. Appointing a project

manager to be responsible for the management of the project will help you to ensure its

overall success. The composition of your project team will depend on the size and

demands of your project (days at sea, number of vessels involved, size of project area).

In addition to the project manager, the project team may consist of:

A communications manager.

Coordinators for each of the ports in which participating fishermen are registered

and in which DFG will therefore be landed.

Experts hired on a needs-basis when their specific expertise is required. The areas

of expertise may include for example: fisheries regulations; marine environment (to

advise on the presence of habitats of special concern in the retrieval area and on

the optimal timing of activities), waste management (to advise on the

environmentally sound management of the retrieved DFG).

IV. PROJECT PARTICIPANTS

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Involvement of fishermen

Involving fishermen from the very beginning of the project is crucial to securing their

engagement throughout the duration of the project. Their role will be two-fold: to provide

information on the locations of DFG (described in more detail in Section 5 – Selection of

locations) and to carry out the actual retrieval of the DFG (described in more detail in

Section 5 – DFG retrieval methods).

If your organisation does not already have established contacts with fishermen, making

contact with your local fishing association or some individual fishermen is a good first

step. Even if you already have existing contacts with local fishermen, getting in touch with

the local fishermen’s association can help you to encourage fishermen to get involved and

might extend your project to more ports.

Maintaining good relations with the fisheries community is very important. This can be

done, for example, by providing regular feedback to them on the project, including

information about the nets that have been retrieved. Existing DFG projects have shown

that you can build and maintain the motivation of fishermen by providing them with

public recognition their involvement in the project. The use of a project logo can provide

visibility and public recognition to individual fishermen and vessels. It can contribute to a

sense of community ownership among participants and build a positive public image of

fishermen as custodians of the marine environment. Even thought they might not work on

a voluntary basis, this might also increase the motivation of fisherman involved in DFG

retrieval.

Examples of motivations to get fishermen involved in DFG projects

Fishermen regard themselves as ‘Custodians of the sea’.

Fishermen appreciate the visibility and public recognition of their efforts to keep

the marine environment clean and want to maintain their good reputation.

The retrieval of DFG is an opportunity for fishermen to diversify their activities and

to get additional income in periods when fishing is not allowed due to the

restrictions.

Reduction of cost as a result of DFG, such as:

o High cost to replace fishing gear;

o Lost operating time (such as due to propellers entangled in DFG);

o Stock reduction: resulting from contamination of catches and ‘ghost fishing’;

o Physical damage to fishing vessels and to nets;

o Negative reputation of the fishing sector and consumer concern.

Tangible improvements: fishermen often fish on the same fishing grounds, which

gradually become cleaner if DFG is avoided and/or retrieved.

IV. PROJECT PARTICIPANTS

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Participants in DFG retrieval

DFG retrieval activities will require the skills of fishermen and/or divers to retrieve the

fishing gear. The potential roles and activities of fishermen and divers are discussed in

more detail in Section 5.

To establish the skills you require for the retrieval operations that you intend to conduct

under your project, you will need to establish the characteristics of the area to be cleaned

(depth and topography of the seafloor, size of the area etc.) and the gear to be retrieved

(types, amounts etc.). In addition, to decide on the number of participants, you will need

to establish the required number of days at sea and take into account the budget you

have available.

All participants who assist in DFG retrieval should be provided with a contract, the exact

terms of which need to be discussed and agreed with each participant. Every contract

should include at least a precise description of their tasks and guidance on how to carry

them out and details of any payment. This guidance could come from DFG retrieval

guidelines that you may develop under your project and attach to the contract. The

guidelines should include the stringent safety and environmental protection requirements

that participants have to meet. Some of these requirements will be legal, and will have

been adopted by Member States on the basis of the relevant European Directives and/or

on the basis of national experience.

Proper insurance coverage for all participants in the DFG retrieval operations should be

foreseen in your project budget. It is recommended to relate payment to all organisations

and individuals that retrieve DFG on your behalf to the time they work, rather than to the

amount of gear recovered.

Fishermen

The removal of DFG requires specific skill sets and experience from the fishermen –

especially when bulky or heavy nets are retrieved. It is recommended to work with active

fishermen that have good knowledge of techniques and the targeted areas (i.e. of the

level of activity of the various fisheries in these areas, now and in the past).

The crew of a participating vessel may include:

A captain, whose duties may include: navigating the vessel; operating navigational

instruments (GPS); using equipment (radar and sonar) to locate DFG; recording DFG

retrieval activities in the ship’s log; directing the DFG retrieval operations; and

supervising the crew.

IV. PROJECT PARTICIPANTS

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Other crew members whose duties may include the loading and unloading of

equipment; guiding the retrieval gear; the operation of the hydraulic equipment

and the pulling in of DFG; the unloading of retrieved DFG; storage of the unloaded

DFG in the port, in line with the arrangements agreed with the port authorities.

Divers

Divers might be used to support retrieval operations, depending on the depth and the

topography of the seafloor. Working with divers can help to minimise the impact of DFG

removal on the marine environment and to increase its efficiency and effectiveness. A

diving team could be composed of:

Two or more divers in the water: A diver working the net, and at least one support

diver standing off the net, to assist the working diver if entanglement occurs.

Two or more persons on the vessel: A stand-by diver on the vessel, suited and

ready to enter the water immediately after notification is given that the divers in

the water need assistance, and a diving supervisor. If the vessel is to be moored,

the diving supervisor and captain can be the same individual

DFG retrieval requires a thorough understanding of the safety and environmental issues of

working with DFG. Only qualified divers with appropriate experience and training should

attempt DFG retrieval.

IV. PROJECT PARTICIPANTS

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Port authorities

The involvement of port authorities is critical to the success of your project. The harbour

masters will be key contacts in the implementation of your project. Port authorities can

provide adequate, affordable and accessible DFG reception and storage facilities or move

the DFG to a central storage facility or area in the port. They might also help you to

arrange for the transport, disposal and recycling of DFG together with other waste

brought by ships or produced at the port.

Waste management is often organised differently in different ports: waste facilities might

be owned and operated by the port authority, owned by the port authority but operated

by a private waste management company, or owned and operated by a private waste

manager. These arrangements can have a significant impact on waste reception and

storage and should be discussed with the harbour master of each port authority before

the start of the project. If your project includes more than one port, different

arrangements may be necessary with different port authorities.

You may also be faced with a situation where a fishing port does not have waste

management procedures and appropriate reception facilities in place. If you come across

this situation you may be able to reach an arrangement that can benefit both your project

and the port. The port could benefit from its involvement through improved waste

management procedures and facilities in their port and present itself as a port that is

supporting the work for cleaner seas. Often ports will be keen to participate in projects

relating to DFG retrieval to emphasise their role in protecting the marine environment and

supporting local projects. Publicising the role of port authorities in the project as part of

your project’s communications and promotional activities will help provide public

recognition of the port authority’s participation.

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Waste management and recycling companies

Waste management and recycling companies, public or private, are often contracted by

port authorities to transport the waste to treatment facilities for disposal or recycling. To

avoid having to set up separate waste management arrangements for DFG from your

project, in principle it is best to incorporate the management of DFG in the existing waste

management system in the port. Therefore, it is recommended that you discuss with the

port authority and the waste management company how the nets retrieved by your

project can be dealt with under the existing arrangements for waste treatment and

disposal in the port. Some ports may even already have a collection system for non-

operational fishing gear.

There may be recycling opportunities for DFG that have not previously been identified.

Under your project, you could conduct a market search and contact companies in the

recycling sector that may be interested in recycling the retrieved nets.

If you intend to monitor the nets (length, type, material etc.) that are retrieved under your

project, you will need to make suitable arrangements that allow for monitoring. The waste

management or recycling companies may help you in this process by weighing the nets

and possibly also by analysing (samples of) the nets.

In principle, waste management companies will charge a fee for the additional cost of

managing DFG. However, it is worth discussing with the waste management company

whether it is willing to sponsor your project by waiving or reducing this fee. If the waste

management company is a public entity – a consortium of local government authorities,

for instance – assisting your project may fall under a local policy initiative to reduce waste.

This could motivate the waste management company to support your project. A private

company might also provide waste management services free of charge as part of its

corporate social responsibility activities. Publicising the participation of the waste

manager as part of your project’s communications activities, may help to secure the waste

management company’s contribution to your project.

If recycling opportunities have been identified for the DFG collected under your project,

the potential for the waste management company to reduce or waive its fees, or even pay

for a regular supply of recyclable material, is greater. Recycling of the DFG would be the

most ideal outcome.

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Development of prevention and mitigation measures

Retrieval operations are only one aspect of tackling the DFG problem. Ideally, DFG

retrieval operations are combined with efforts to prevent the occurrence of DFG, to

register losses (facilitating retrieval) and to mitigate the impacts of DFG. Therefore, you

should consider whether your project could also implement or support prevention and

mitigation measures. Some of these measures may require legal or policy changes, so in

these cases, you may wish to contact the relevant authorities to explore these measures

further.

Preventive measures are the most effective way to reduce DFG, as they avoid the

occurrence of DFG and its impacts. These measures can include:

DFG prevention measures Description

Policies, strategies and plans

DFG reduction plans

The competent authorities could develop DFG reduction plans, with full involvement of all relevant stakeholders. Such plans should incorporate and integrate the appropriate selection of prevention, mitigation and remedial measures that are listed in this table. Such plans may have to be supported by legislation that provides for adequate DFG collection facilities in each fishing port and/or by economic incentives for changing behaviour, for example a deposit-refund scheme for fishing gear.

Spatial management Spatial management (e.g. zoning schemes) is a tool to address conflicts among user groups. This can assist in avoiding conflicts either between different fishing groups or between fisheries and other maritime sectors.

Economic measures and incentives

Deposit-refund schemes Deposit schemes for fishing gear can encourage the return of DFG to the manufacturer for recycling. Another possibility is a discount of the purchase of new fishing gear when handing in old gear.

Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR)

EPR can oblige manufacturers to organise the collection and recycling of DFG, possibly in a joint effort with the other relevant stakeholders. EPR for fishing gear can help to ensure design for the environment of fishing gear. If manufacturers are made responsible for the recycling of gear at the end of its useful life, they might start to design recyclable gear.

Legal measures

Vessel permits and professional fishing licenses

Access to the fishing profession is restricted by permits and licenses – which could incorporate DFG related obligations and requirements. Such requirements could for example be related to the use of certain gear or cases of compulsory retrieval of DFG.

Reporting

Reporting on type and location of lost gear by fishermen both commercial and recreational can facilitate retrieval. For the commercial fishing sector, this requires improved application and enforcement of the provisions in EU Regulation 1224/2009 on reporting lost gear. Divers could also be encouraged to report nets identified during diving trips.

Certified manifest of fishing gear

Vessels could be required to carry a manifest onboard, which would allow port states to inspect for compliance with MARPOL Annex V and refer violations for flag state enforcement.

Tackling IUU fishing

Increased effectiveness of port State measures in tackling illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing may assist in reducing the amount of gear abandoned at sea.

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DFG prevention measures Description

Information measures

Information systems Systems for exchanging information between vessels fixed or drifting gear with other may help minimise accidental encounters between ships and gear.

Onboard technology Use of onboard technology (e.g. GPS, radar, sonar) may assist fishermen to avoid snagging sites and improve the location of lost gear.

Mapping of snagging sites Mapping and database of fishing gear snagging sites (rock, coral, lost cargo, wrecks etc.) will assist vessels in avoiding these sites.

Raising awareness and education Raising awareness and education can facilitate a change in behaviour by stakeholders.

Infrastructure

Port reception facilities

Provision of adequate, affordable, accessible facilities will encourage the proper disposal of end-of-life fishing gear. To encourage the establishment of such facilities, a certification system for reception facilities, with the ability to receive used fishing gear and retrieved DFG as one of the minimum assessment criteria, could be introduced.

Operational measures

Effort reduction measures

Such measures already exist and include limiting the amount of gear that can be used (e.g. pot/trap limits; limits on the amount (km) of nets per vessel) and the soak-time (the amount of time gear can remain in the water). These measures may reduce operational losses, but their implementation is difficult to control and to enforce.

Mitigation measures can include:

DFG mitigation measures Description

Return to biodegradable netting

The return to biodegradable netting has been very limited so far due the comparative economic advantages of synthetic over natural fibers: durable, resistant to being torn, lighter, no need to be treated. The design of benthic traps, trawl nets and gillnets to include degradable panels or sections made of natural fiber twine, wood or wire, could reduce the potential for entanglement and ghost fishing.

Stronger, lighter netting Stronger, lighter netting (for example made of high-performance polyethylene) is less likely to tear apart while being dragged, when snagged or when heavily loaded during fishing. These nets may still be relatively expensive.

Improvement of the traceability of fishing gear

The ability to locate DFG using acoustic echo-sounding can be improved by producing nets with fibers to which substances have been added (such as barium sulphate) to increase acoustic reflectivity.

Gear marking

Gear marking practices could be enhanced to identify ownership and to facilitate reporting, retrieval and return of lost gear. The gear itself can have an indication of ownership, such as a numeric code on a tag (similar to vehicle license plates) and for fixed nets, buoys could carry some ownership identification. This requires among other improved application and enforcement of EU Regulation 404/2011 provisions on gear marking.

To enhance acceptance of the measures, gear manufacturers should be encouraged to

avoid changes to gear that increase costs of fishing, through reduced effectiveness of the

gear, higher prices of the gear or higher cost of using the gear. For example, gear made

from natural fibers is still less durable than synthetic gear and may require additional

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treatment. Due to the economic advantages of using synthetic gear, the return to

biodegradable netting is still very limited so far

The development of innovative solutions, such as the use of net materials that increase

sound reflectivity and hence could reduce the by-catch of non-target species such as

cetaceans, are being encouraged through initiatives such as the International Smart Gear

Competition (www.smartgear.org) of the WWF.

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Selection of locations where to retrieve DFG

As only small areas of fishing grounds can be covered in retrieval projects, the

identification and subsequent selection of the most appropriate areas to retrieve lost and

discarded nets is vital to making your retrieval activities efficient and effective.

Prioritisation of areas is also crucial to enhance the environmental impact of the retrieval

operations.

Identification:

A three-step approach can be followed to identify areas where lost and discarded nets

have accumulated:

1. As a first step, desk research can provide basic information on DFG in the open

seas. Relevant information relates to the location of areas with high potential loss

rate (the vicinity of busy shipping lanes, potential gear conflicts between different

fisheries, the existence of bad weather conditions, risky seabed topography etc.).

Information relating to fishing effort is also relevant to identify locations and to

tailor the retrieval equipment, more in particular information on types of fishing

gear used (i.e. some types are easier lost than others); areas where certain types of

fishing gear are used; which types of gear are used in which loss sensitive areas. To

assess both historical and present spatial distribution of the fishing effort regarding

various fleet segments (e.g. bottom rigged gillnets, demersal trawlers) standard

logbook data can be used. By analysing the distribution data, a map with

geographical sites that are potentially DFG accumulation sites can be identified.

Desk research can also provide basic information on wrecks (e.g. existing

inventories of shipwrecks).

2. As a second step, the basic information can subsequently be combined with

detailed information from consultation with fishermen (and possibly divers) which

are active in the identified areas of interest. Discussions with the fisherman can

provide valuable information on what they have come across during their fishing

trips and can lead to the identifications of hot spots or locations with incidental net

loss. In certain areas – such as shallow areas relatively close to the coast - it can also

be useful to involve recreational fisherman. It can also be agreed with fisherman

that they shall report to your organisation when they see lost or abandoned gear at

sea or lose fishing gear themselves and cannot retrieve it.

3. A last possible, but costly, step could be to verify and complement the information

gathered, using underwater inspection equipment (such as ROV robots and side-

scan sonars).

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Prioritisation: Once DFG has been located, the locations from which DFG will be retrieved

should be prioritised. It is best to document this selection process, including the criteria

that you use. Selection criteria could include:

Environmental impact: The impact of the DFG retrieval operation on the

environment must be considered and weighed against the environmental impact of

DFG if not removed. Grappling can damage marine habitats, can impact soft

bottom habitats and damage or kill bottom dwelling organisms. If damage to the

environment from the retrieval operation would exceed the damage caused by the

gear, it is more appropriate to leave the gear in place or to disable the gear, instead

of retrieving it. Disabling the gear would reduce the catching efficiency of the gear

and as such reduce one of the environmental impacts of the gear, i.e. ghost fishing.

The environmental impact of DFG, and therefore the benefits of retrieval, depends

on issues as gear type, the condition of the gear, the nature of the local

environment (currents, depth and location), the presence of sensitive habitats and

the timing of the retrieval operation. A marine biologist could be consulted on the

presence of habitats of special concern in the retrieval area and in respect to the

optimal timing of activities. Retrieval in areas with sensitive habitats or during

spawning periods should in principle be avoided. One aspect to consider is that the

catching efficiency of DFG decreases rapidly at first, and continues to decrease at a

slower rate over time. If the removal of a high priority DFG is deemed necessary

and some negative habitat impacts are anticipated, a habitat restoration plan may

have to be included in the DFG retrieval plan.

Health and safety risks: Risk, such as entanglement for swimmers, will be reduced if

DFG is retrieved.

Cost-efficiency: While the benefits of DFG retrieval are difficult to quantify, when

considering the cost-efficiency of retrieval operations, the costs of retrieving DFG

from a given location should be compared to the estimated benefits. Where the

benefits cannot be quantified at all, prioritisation will therefore have to be done

based on a qualitative understanding of the benefits, which may also differ

between locations.

WWF Poland created an open web-based interactive database of obstacles present on the sea bottom (www.sieciwidma.wwf.pl) in three languages, where all sea users can report information on the location of underwater obstacles that may cause gear losses. A similar web based tool could be developed for your country.

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Effectiveness: The level of concentration of DFG at a single location will determine

what amounts can be retrieved with a single retrieval operation. The higher the

amounts, the more effective the retrieval operation will be. An element to consider

here is that retrieval projects may be less necessary in areas of high trawl activity,

where nets are picked up over time, provided that these nets are landed.

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DFG retrieval methods

Involvement of fishermen in retrieval

Commercial vessels carry a grapnel (commonly called a ‘creeper’) onboard to drag along

the seabed to snag their own gear lost during fishing operations. In situations where

vessels are retrieving their own lost gear, the position of the gear is accurate and retrieval

is targeted.

However, in the dedicated DFG retrieval operations under your project, the information

on the position of the DFG will be less precise. Therefore, the retrieval systems that you

will have to deploy must be designed to cover bigger areas and will be constructed with

multiple creeping devices. The creeping devices should be constructed such that the

tearing through larger nets, leaving the balance of the gear behind, is reduced to a

minimum. Sea floor depth and topography are impacting on the optimal design of the

creeping devices.

A variety of creeper designs are used in DFG activities, all of which are more or less

variations of the same general principles. The creeping device towed by the vessels

involved in retrieval operations, conducted by WWF Poland in 2012, consisted of two

‘searching hooks’ mounted to a steel bar connected to a 12’’ rubber weight and of nine

steel weights between the bar and the rubber weight. Such heavier devices, and the large

vessels that are required to tow the device, are suitable for sandy seafloors, with few

snagging points. However, if the seafloor is rougher, one would mainly get small

fragments of netting. On such seafloors, smaller vessels and lighter dragging devices are

required for efficient and effective retrieval.

Source: WWF Poland

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Another simple method of retrieving gear in areas of clean ground is to sweep the area

with a trawl net. Although this process may not be as effective as creepers, using a trawl

has the advantage of covering a larger swept area than a creeper. A serious disadvantage

of this method however, is the significant environmental impact of dragging a trawl net

along the seafloor.

It should be emphasised that blind grappling from a fishing vessel is not an acceptable

DFG retrieval method. It might cause more environmental damage to the marine habitat

than leaving the DFG in place (depending upon the type and condition of the DFG, its

location and the type of habitat in which it is located). Grappling can damage marine

habitats, can impact soft bottom habitats and damage or kill bottom-dwelling organisms.

Involvement of divers in retrieval

Divers may undertake the following actions during DFG retrieval operations:

Removing nets and lines by hand from the seabed by cutting away encrusted or

severely entangled lines or netting. Subsequently, the divers can bundle the net

including any lead or float. They can use air-lift bags on the netting to keep tension

on the net as it is freed from the seabed and to float the released netting to the

surface.

Attaching by hand the grappling hook to the nets and cutting out encrusted or

severely entangled nets, such that the winch or reel on the vessel can mechanically

pull the net free from the seabed and remove it. Prior to using mechanical force,

the divers should return back to the vessel to protect their safety.

Helping in determining the precise location of nets, such that they can effectively

grappled and pulled free and up by the vessel. Using divers can be cheaper than

using a remotely operated vehicle (ROV).

Using divers may help you to avoid or to limit the use of mechanical methods, and

therefore to reduce the environmental impact of the retrieval operation. Divers may also

increase the efficiency and the effectiveness of the retrieval operation, as mechanical

force may reduce the amount of gear recovered by inadvertently separating the lead

and/or cork lines from the webbing. The webbing, which is the more damaging portion of

the net, may be more difficult to locate and remove when separated. All attempts should

be made to avoid tearing the lead or float line from the net leaving behind the more

environmentally damaging webbing material.

The decision on whether to use divers in you project will depend mainly on the depth and

the topography of the seafloor:

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DFG retrieval in shallow waters: To retrieve nets from a sandy sea floor, a vessel

and a creeper device are in principle sufficient, and divers are not necessary unless

the nets are snagged. However, in shallow water where divers can work effectively,

it is preferable to not use the winch or reel on the vessel to mechanically pull the

net free from the seabed and/or to remove it. In particular, where the seafloor is

rough or rocky, or where there are many artificial snagging sites (such as cables and

pipelines on the seafloor) that can catch fishing gear, working with divers can help

to minimise the impact of DFG removal on the marine environment and to increase

its efficiency and effectiveness.

DFG retrieval in deeper waters: DFG in deeper waters, where divers cannot work

effectively, will have to be retrieved by mechanical means only. To minimise the

environmental impact and to enhance the efficiency and the effectiveness, the

precise location of the gear should be determined by remote operated vehicle or

other effective means. The retrieval requires the use of specific equipment, known

as hooks. Different types of hooks have been developed for different types of sea

bottom. As the lead organisation, you should ensure fishermen are provided with

the adequate hooks.

Clearing wrecks of nets always requires divers. This type of operation is not specifically

covered by this Toolkit; however some of the guidance provided may be relevant to wreck

cleaning.

DFG during regular fishing activities

Fishing vessels can assist in retrieving DFG during their regular fishing activities. Trawlers

could also clean fishing grounds during regular fishing activities by limited dragging in

areas with a high accumulation of DFG and/or by not cutting loose DFG on which their

gear is snagged and by landing it.

Fishing vessels are likely to experience increased labour costs from these activities. The

proportion of towing time to the time taken to pull up the device is often unfavourable. To

prevent the nets escaping from the ‘searching hooks’, the device must be pulled up very

carefully, which often takes two to three hours and requires constant attention. Any haste

leads to the loss of the nets caught. Your organisation could provide incentives to

encourage fishermen to retrieve DFG encountered during regular fishing. This could be

cost efficient, but you might provide fishermen with economic incentives to cover extra

labour costs. You should also make sure that the fishermen can dispose of free of charge

the DFG that they have retrieved on a voluntary basis.

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There are some constraints that should be dealt with when promoting this practice. Legal

constraints include requirements in fisheries regulations that prohibit vessels from

carrying gear that is not a gear type permitted under their license endorsement. Most

likely the fishing gear retrieved from the sea can be distinguished from the fisher’s own

gear, but it is nevertheless recommended that vessels record the retrieval in the log book,

so that it can be shown upon inspection. Another legal constraint is that in some

countries, DFG may be considered personal property or DFG may constitute a violation of

regulations, and cannot be removed by anyone except the owner or a licensed

enforcement officer. A hygienic and sanitary constraint is that DFG may be hazardous waste and contact with catch should be avoided. In such cases, only larger vessels

equipped with watertight containers with lids are able to retrieve such DFG.

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Planning DFG retrieval activities

DFG retrieval plan

Prior to undertaking any retrieval operation, a DFG retrieval plan should be developed,

following the guidelines that have been developed under the project. The plan should

include information on:

The location, where the retrieval will be conducted.

The types of gear that will be retrieved.

The methods and equipment that will be used.

All participants in the retrieval operation.

The environmental impacts of the operation (related to sensitive vegetation on the

sea bed; risk of destroying spawning areas, etc.) and any mitigation measures that

will be taken. If the negative impact on the environment from the retrieval

operation would exceed the damage caused by the DFG, it is more appropriate to

leave the DFG in place or to disable the gear (for example, reducing its catching

efficiency by bundling it), instead of retrieving it. The DFG retrieval plan should

evaluate these options.

The potential health and safety risks and how they are being addressed. Risks may

include risks from chemical weapons dumped in the sea during WWII, safety risks

to divers, risks to the vessel and its equipment, risks of damaging archaeological

cultural heritage, like historical shipwrecks.

All notifications that must be given and all permits that must be obtained.

The arrangements for landing, disposal and/or recycling of the gear.

The reporting arrangements that will be followed, not only for DFG, but for

example also for hazardous materials that may be encountered.

Technical parameters for the vessel

In planning your DFG activities, you will need to ensure that the vessel is appropriately

equipped. If hydraulic equipment is to be used to retrieve the DFG, vessels used should be

equipped with winches of sufficient power, because of the considerable resistance

encountered when pulling up DFG buried in sand. Vessels should also be equipped with

modern navigational equipment.

Other technical parameters for vessels relate to length, tonnage and engine power.

Generally, retrieval actions could be carried out with a medium-sized vessel (with a length

between 12 and 24 metres) that can accommodate a crew of at least five to seven persons

(including a captain, crew members and potentially a team of divers), with engine power

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between 100 and 180 Kw and a tonnage between 20 and 40 GT. Vessels that meet these

specifications allow unconstrained 24/7 operation of the search and retrieval gear. They

also provide for prompt stopping of the vessel to avoid breaking hooked nets, adequate

power for easy handling the retrieval gear and longer stays at sea.

The speed at which the retrieval equipment is towed contributes to its effectiveness. Past

experience has shown that a speed of 1 to 1.5 knots permits the best contact between the

hooks and the bottom and thus increases the likelihood of retrieving DFG from the sea

bottom. This optimal speed is one of the reasons why bigger vessels are not optimal for

DFG retrieval, as they cannot maintain a steering capability at low speed, due to their

higher sensitivity to wind direction and their higher tonnage.

When smaller gear or net fragments are targeted, smaller vessels could be used. For

example, in the Baltic Sea, most retrieval operations have been carried out with 12 – 15

metre gill-net vessels. They have been able to handle, with their net-haulers, whole net-

fleets up to 3-6 km length. In some cases the net-fleets were loaded with algae, animals

and debris, to the extent that they were too heavy to lift. In such cases the nets were

marked with a buoy and later collected with a larger vessel. Working in pairs may also be

an option, with a lighter vessel with lower tonnage, for dragging the creeper, and a larger

vessel for storing the DFG, which is often heavier and takes more space than normal

operational netting as it is loaded with algae, animals and debris.

Storage of the nets on-board

A medium-sized trawler and a larger gill-netter will have the necessary storage space to

store the retrieved DFG on deck. Storing the retrieved nets directly on board has an

important benefit: when landing the nets in the port, they are once more hauled through

the net-hauler and thereby further cleaned. This reduces the odour when stored in the

port. Smaller nets (such as recreational fishing gear) or fragments of nets could be stored

on board in flexible intermediate bulk containers (commonly referred to as ‘big bags’) or

watertight plastic containers (ca. 600 l) with lids to avoid spillage of dirt.

Timing of retrieval operations

The actual timing of the retrieval needs careful planning. This is likely to take place outside

the fishing season, in the period from July to August, when the fishing vessels lay idle in

the ports. Not only will it be easier to get fishermen involved in this period, but the risk of

interference with live fishing gear is reduced. If DFG is to be retrieved outside of this

period, there may be a need to give advance notice to the fishing industry of each

retrieval action and request that vessels remove all live fishing gear from the designated

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areas for the duration of the action. This may also involve agreement with the competent

authorities.

An additional benefit of retrieving in this period is that the chances of favourable weather

conditions are relatively good. Suitable weather is crucial for good retrieval results – as

any waves, even minor, may cause the nets to break off the hooks.

Permits

Retrieval of DFG may legally require advance notice to the competent authorities or

permits, as submerged objects, including fishing gears, may have become state property.

Permits may also be required to take protected species from their habitats. In some

countries, preliminary impact assessments may also be required. When planning your

project, you should consult the relevant competent authorities on this issue.

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Reception of DFG at the port

The equipment usually used to unload fishing catches can be used to unload and place the

DFG on the quay. The DFG will then need to be taken to specific storage facilities in the

port. It would likely be the staff from the port authority or waste management company

that will take the DFG to the storage facilities. Who transfers the DFG to the storage

facilities will depend on what is agreed with the port authority during the project set-up

and the normal arrangements for managing waste from vessels in the port. It is

recommended that you evaluate whether the management of DFG can be integrated in

the existing waste management system for ship-generated waste.

The transfer of retrieved DFG is best done after the nets have been dried, as their dry

weight may be considerably less than the weight immediately after retrieval. The DFG can

be modified to assist in the transfer, and subsequent disposal or recycling. For example,

DFG can be cut in pieces and secured in big bags for easier handling or it may be tightly

bundled together to decrease the volume of the material.

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Recycling and disposal

Your organisation should discuss DFG disposal and recycling options with the waste

management company contracted by the participating ports, prior to starting any retrieval

operation. Although your organisation may not have much scope for changing their waste

management procedures, you should agree on cost effective and environmentally sound

treatment options. If you cannot come to such terms with the waste management

company that regularly services the port, you may have to contact other companies.

At the very least, the waste management company will need the following information

about the DFG:

Type of gear.

Materials involved, such as plastics and metals.

Length, width, volume or weight of gear.

Condition of the gear: bundled, loose, encrusted with algae or other marine life etc.

Transportation requirements: liquid containment, odour, containerised, etc.

Location, date and time of pick-up.

The recycling of as much plastic and metals of the retrieved nets as possible should be an

important objective for your project. If the waste management company does not have a

recycling solution, you should investigate recycling options with other companies. If

recycling is not possible, incineration with energy recovery (polymer has a high calorific

value) or landfilling, as the least desired option, would be the likely alternatives. The open

air burning of nets should in all cases be avoided.

The fishing gear waste stream comprises not only retrieved DFG, but also non-operational

gear. This used gear consists of both damaged, old gear and gear that is retired by

fishermen who have left the industry. This non-operational gear accumulates in storage

yards and has a high recycling potential due to vast quantities and homogenous

composition of this waste stream. Combining non-operational gear and retrieved DFG may

enhance recycling opportunities, as having a large, stable supply of recyclable material is

crucial for a recycling program to work. Under your project, you could offer to fishermen

to dispose of their non-operational gear waste at low to no-cost through a network of

collection bins in port areas.

Barriers to recycling may include the fact that retrieved DFG will contain organic

impurities in the form of remains of organisms attached to the nets and the fact that DFG

is not a homogenous waste stream, but consists of various different materials (fibers,

steel, metal and ropes). The nets therefore may have to be cleaned and the different

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materials may have to be separated prior to actual recycling. Only gear that meets the

recycling company’s specifications should be delivered. Therefore, prior arrangements

must be made with the recycling company.

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Monitoring DFG

This activity only refers to the monitoring of the collected DFG, with the objective of

learning more about the problem of DFG in the intervention area. It does not refer to

monitoring of the overall project implementation, which is covered under Section 6

below.

To allow monitoring the DFG collected by your project, organisations or fishermen

involved in retrieval operations will have to report on:

Date and time of retrieval of DFG

Location of DFG

o General description: distance from landmarks and/or common place names

o Chart location (latitude and longitude of location, to the nearest second) or

GPS coordinates (to five decimal places)

o Water depth.

o Habitat type (e.g. soft bottom, rocky).

Nature of DFG retrieved

o Type of gear: Nets (monofilament gillnet, trawl etc.), Pots/Traps (round or

square for crab or shrimp, singular or multiple), Ropes/Lines, Floats, Trawl

Doors or other

o Origin: fisheries (mesh size can be used to attribute gear to a fishery)

o Number, volume, weight, length of nets and other gear retrieved

o Condition of gear (frayed nets, damaged gill net panels, bio-fouled etc.)

o Shape: balled, draped, floating, roped, etc.

o Cause: abandoned or lost

o Estimated age of lost gear.

Retrieval method employed:

o Type of retrieval: mechanical and/or with support of qualified divers.

o Equipment used (vessels, hooks, hand tools etc.).

o Problems encountered.

o Suggestions for improvement in method.

Environmental impacts:

o Number and types of invertebrates, fish, birds, mammals entangled or dead

in the gear.

o Degree of incorporation of the gear into the environment.

o Perceived level of threat of the gear to humans, surface vessels, animals.

o Environmental impact of removal.

Location, type, volume and condition of any DFG that was not retrieved.

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Establishing a monitoring scheme will help you to more efficiently manage your project in

the future. For example, you will be able to make better assumptions on how much gear

you can retrieve in the next years. The information gathered could also be useful to policy

makers, who may use the information in developing policy measures, and to research

institutes, who may wish to use the information to further develop the understanding of

the DFG problem.

The information can also be used to monitor and to evaluate your project and to build

raising awareness campaigns about the DFG problem and your project, and to attract

support for your project.

V. IMPLEMENTING YOUR PROJECT

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Raising awareness of the causes and impact of DFG

Raising awareness of the causes of DFG and of the problems caused by DFG is likely to be

an objective of your project. Building the awareness will encourage changes in behaviour

to prevent DFG in the future.

Developing an awareness raising strategy includes defining the problem you want to

alleviate, the stakeholders that should be targeted to alleviate the problem, the possible

measures that they could take to avoid the DFG or to mitigate its impact and a set of

tailored messages, activities that encourage changes in behaviour of the relevant

stakeholders. Communicating about the impacts and successes of your project will help to

raise awareness of DFG in general.

Awareness raising activities should have a first focus on fishermen as they are the groups

that are primarily responsible for and impacted by the problem of DFG. However, other

stakeholder groups should also be targeted, because of their potential to reduce the DFG

problem. You could raise awareness of the problem among ports, to try to address the

lack of adequate port reception facilities for used gear. Your awareness-raising activities

could also target gear manufacturers, who could consider changes to the design of gear to

avoid the problem of DFG.

If raising awareness is a specific objective in your project, particularly if you include this

objective in a funding application for your project, monitoring and evaluating the impacts

of your communication activities will be important.

V. IMPLEMENTING YOUR PROJECT

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Project communication

Strong project communications will keep your project team engaged and motivated and

will help you to attract new participants or sponsors. Consider how you will communicate

key project information to the other participants in your project over the lifetime of the

project, particularly fishermen, port authorities, waste management companies, policy

makers and anyone providing financial or in-kind support to the project.

To communicate with participants, you may wish to use the following communication

tools:

Meetings: For example, you might organise regular meetings with the port

authorities and fishing associations to provide updates on new developments in the

project and collect their feedback on locations of nets. These regular meetings

don’t necessarily need to be held in person, they could also be held by phone or

over Skype.

Leaflets or newsletters: For example, you might wish to issue a project newsletter

to communicate with fishermen or other stakeholders and regularly update your

project leaflet to ensure that it contains the most recent information. Your

newsletters and/or leaflets could be sent by email.

Website: You might have a website to communicate about your project to the

broader public, but this could also be used to provide practical information, such as

contact details, to project participants.

A strategy to communicate your project to the broader public can make use of a wide

variety of communication channels, such as participating in community events, workshops

and conferences, publications, social media and press releases to the local media. You

might also wish to develop a logo for your project to provide visual recognition.

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VI. PROJECT MONITORING AND EVALUATION

Not to be confused with monitoring marine litter, monitoring should be understood here

as a management tool. Project monitoring and evaluation is the process of systematically

collecting, recording and organising data on specified indicators to provide management

and co-financing authorities (and other main stakeholders) with indications on progress

(in the implementation of your project’s activities) and achievement of objectives and

progress in the use of allocated funds. As discussed in Section 3, indicators are

quantitative or qualitative factors or variables that provide a means to measure

achievement of objectives and results.

Various means of data collection can be used, depending on the type of data you need.

You may even wish to survey fishermen on their attitude towards DFG before and after

the project as an interesting way of measuring whether their behaviour has changed.

Arranging independent reviews of the technical, environmental, financial and managerial

performance of the project may be useful in getting feedback on the progress and

achievements of your project.

Monitoring helps to improve decision-making, through immediate feedback of

performance-related information into the management process. The data collected will

also help to document the project and to substantiate progress reports that may have to

be submitted to co-financing authorities.

VII. FUNDING FOR YOUR PROJECT

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Funding strategy

Developing a strategy for securing the funding that your organisation and partners cannot

provide internally will be a critical part of the preparation of your project.

After preparing your initial budget (see the Section 3 of the Toolkit on project budget), you

will be able to determine funding needs more precisely, including what can be provided

by partner organisations (for example, through in-kind contributions) and what needs to

be funded by an external source, such as a grant. A good funding strategy will consider all

options for contribution to the project costs. For example, some potentially large costs,

such as waste handling and treatment or recycling, can be provided through in-kind

contribution by the waste management company as a project partner. In this document,

the term ‘project sponsors’ is used for those contributing to your project, by grant

funding, corporate funding, in-kind or other.

The funding strategy will also depend on the project situation and the availability of grant

programmes from EU, national, regional or local public funds, as well as options to attract

funding from non-governmental sources such as foundations and private sector

stakeholders.

Your funding strategy should answer the following questions:

Who can potentially contribute? When thinking about who could contribute,

consider who contributes to the DFG problem, who could help to solve the problem

and who has an interest in getting the problem solved (fisherman, gear

manufacturers, etc.). These organisations may be ready to fund.

What external sources are available to meet the funding needs? What are their

requirements in terms of specific costs/budget item eligibility, timing, etc.?

What will be needed to develop funding proposals?

What are the terms of the available funding sources – can any of them support the

project over a longer period (e.g. more than one year)?

Are there any options for securing private sector funding? For example, through

financial support, in-kind support or revenue from recycling?

VII. FUNDING FOR YOUR PROJECT

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Motivation for project sponsors

As mentioned above, there might be various reasons for organisations to sponsor your

project. This section provides key messages that you might want to emphasise when you

first meet with potential sponsors of your project.

Why should public sector organisations (EU, national government, regional and local

authorities, public waste management companies, tourism authorities) co-sponsor your

project (financially or in-kind)?

EU Member States have the obligation to achieve ‘good environmental status’ for

their marine areas by 2020 under the Marine Strategy Framework Directive

(2008/56/EC). This includes the setting of binding targets on marine litter (including

DFG) at the national level, which has happened to a varying degree (see Article 12

assessment report). In its Communication “Towards a circular economy” the

Commission has set the aspirational target of 30% reduction by 2020 for the then

most common types of litter found on beaches, as well as for fishing gear found at

sea, with the list adapted to each of the four marine regions in the EU. Supporting a

DFG retrieval initiative will help governments reaching these objectives. Check your

national Marine Strategy (to be in place by 2015) for more concrete elements on

the national agenda.

The Marine Strategy Framework Directive also aims to protect the resource base

upon which marine-related economic and social activities depend. National,

regional and local authorities have an interest in clean marine waters and shores

since this will be beneficial for fishing activities, for the aquaculture sector, for the

tourism sector as well as for the livelihoods of local coastal communities. Local

authorities can avoid costs for cleaning up shorelines, ports, harbours.

Public authorities have a responsibility to protect common goods such as public

health, safety and the environment. Marine litter is recognised as a growing global

problem. Recent EU policy proposals on a circular economy refer to necessary

action to achieve a significant reduction of marine litter – a commitment also made

at the Rio+20 Conference in 2012 and in the 7th Environmental Action Plan. While

more comprehensive measures against marine litter will be needed to tackle the

problem on a global scale, supporting a DFG retrieval project is a concrete,

immediate and symbolic opportunity for public authorities to show their

determination in fighting this global phenomenon at the local level.

Port authorities, both public and private, do not only have legal responsibilities with

respect to the management of waste from vessels, but the fishing sector is a source

of income for them. Sharing the responsibility with the fishing sector for the costs

of retrieving DFG may therefore be appropriate.

VII. FUNDING FOR YOUR PROJECT

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Why should private sector companies co-sponsor your project (financially or in-kind)?

There are a number of reasons why companies might want to support a DFG project.

Although nets are abandoned, discarded or lost by fishermen, mainly unintentionally,

many industries or organisations may wish to provide support because they contribute to

causes of DFG or as part of their broader corporate social responsibility programme. Some

private sector companies may also wish to support your project if they benefit directly or

indirectly from cleaner seas and beaches.

Gear manufacturing companies might either be interested in cooperating to

develop mitigation measures or be open to take back retrieved gear for subsequent

recycling.

For regional and local waste operators that are active in the area and in the port in

any case, sponsoring a DFG project can be done in-kind without a major additional

effort, and could provide significant public recognition from the local community.

Companies in the tourism sector (beach facilities, angling, sailing or diving clubs) in

your area might be aware that DFG impacts on the quality of angling, diving, sailing

or other water sports. They also base their business on a clean, healthy and visually

enjoyable environment. Initiatives to reduce DFG are thus in their interest and can

be combined with awareness raising campaigns.

Restaurants and others purchasing fish from the region may be sensitive about the

quality of the products they buy. Contamination of fish due to plastics indigestion

(coming from dissolving nets) is a topic which receives increasing public attention.

Supporting a local DFG project might align with the promotional and high quality

standard practices of some operators.

Recreational fisherman might in some areas also contribute to the problem of DFG

and may be interested in contributing to combating this problem while underlining

their objective to support a clean environment. From another perspective, the

presence of DFG might impede a booming recreational fishing business if

recreational fishing gear gets lost when entangled or hooked.

Involving the private sector as sponsor for your project has, in many cases, the benefit of

strengthening the link between the concrete remediation activities of your project to a

sector that contributes to the problem or benefits from its solution. To motivate

companies to support your project, you might want to consider ways to provide public

recognition of the contributions of your sponsors (via media, logo, website etc.). Further

information about this is mentioned in the Section 5 of the Toolkit on Project

communication above.

VII. FUNDING FOR YOUR PROJECT

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Applying for EU funding

European funds may be provided through either direct grants or indirect grants. Direct

grants include programmes that are managed by the European Commission and cover the

whole EU. Indirect grants support national and regional objectives and are linked to

national or regional programmes (often called ‘operational programmes’). They are

managed by ministries or regional agencies. This distinction will affect your choice of

funding in many ways:

In terms of objectives, you may wish to adapt your project according to the

priorities of the national/regional funding programme.

In terms of competition, if you apply for a direct grant, you will be competing with

organisations in the whole EU. If you apply for an indirect grant, the competing

organisations will come from your Member State. You might decide to present a

joint project with some of these ‘competing’ organisations in case of similar or

complementary project objectives.

In terms of language, if you apply directly to your ministry or agency you will write

your proposal in your national language. If you apply for a direct grant, you can

write your proposal in any EU official language, but English is strongly

recommended.

Potential EU funds you can consider for your marine litter retention projects are:

Direct grants: LIFE; Horizon 2020 (as a part of a broader research and innovation

project).

Indirect grants: European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF); Transnational

cooperation programmes (such as the Interreg Baltic Sea Region Programme 2014-

2020, of which ’clear waters’ is one of the objectives, to which a project on DFG,

one of the main, plastic marine litter items, can contribute funded by the European

Regional Development Fund.

Other grant programmes: EEA Grants and Norway Grants. An example of a national

fund devoted to MSFD implementation is the Spanish Fundación Biodiversidad,

which might support DFG projects.

When you consider which funding opportunity is the best option for your project, consider

the geographical scope of your project. In some funding programmes, trans-nationality –

that is, a project that operates across more than one country – is a requirement. In other

programmes only national projects can be funded. For example, if you intend to set up a

multi-country project, LIFE or transnational cooperation programmes may be appropriate,

VII. FUNDING FOR YOUR PROJECT

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the EMFF is not. Other elements to consider are the minimum number of beneficiaries,

eligible countries, or co-financing rates.

A table comparing different EU funding options, as well as a flow chart to provide

some guidance in a simplified format is available for download. Since some of the

operational rules for the funding period 2014 to 2020 were not been finalised at

the time of preparing this Toolkit, you should make sure you get the latest

available information from websites listed below and national or regional contact

points.

An important first point of contact is always your national contact points or the

national/regional funding authority. They can provide you with more information about

projects eligible for funding, and even help you with your proposal. Contacts are available

on the internet:

Life national contact points;

EMFF national authorities;

Horizon 2020 national contact points;

Cohesion policy Funds national managing authorities;

Guidelines for applying to the funds managed directly by the EU are available on

programme websites:

LIFE guidelines for applicants (here for 2014)

The Horizon 2020 online manual

VIII. COMPLEMENTARY ACTIVITIES

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You should consider whether there are any opportunities to cooperate with other types of

marine litter projects in your local area. Your project might benefit from sharing efforts

and resources with other projects in areas such as joint management of the marine litter

collected or joint awareness campaigns.

Other types of projects that might be carried out in your local area include:

Wreck-cleaning: Clearing wrecks of DFG requires a thorough understanding of the

safety and environmental issues of DFG retrieval and should only be done by

qualified divers with experience and training in wreck cleaning.

Marine litter retention projects (sometimes referred to as ‘Fishing for Litter’

projects), under which fishermen are encouraged to store on board and to land

marine litter that accumulated in their nets during regular fishing activity.

Clean-up of port areas (mostly carried out by port authorities).

Seasonal collection of floating litter from coastal waters (mostly by local authorities

during the tourist season, sometimes with vessels also used for oils spills).

Research projects, under which marine litter is being collected with a view to better

understanding the problem.

Beach clean-ups, which focus on clearing beaches of litter including DFG. The most

common types of DFG found on beaches are gillnets, ropes, buoys and

monofilament fishing lines. Even for the removal of DFG from beaches, which will

mostly involve volunteers, common sense safety precautions (e.g. instruction on

safe use of scissors or knives to cut the gear lose, wearing of heavy gloves, presence

of a basic medical kit in case of injuries etc.) must be followed. DFG can be quite

heavy and difficult to remove; however no mechanical equipment (vehicles,

winches etc.) should be used to remove or to uncover DFG. If holes are dug in the

beach, using hand tool to uncover buried DFG, they must be refilled to prevent

injury to someone falling in the holes and to protect marine animals.

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REFERENCES

The following main references were reviewed in the development of this Toolkit. These

documents can be consulted as additional sources of information on derelict fishing gear.

Brown, J, G. Macfadyen, T. Huntington, J. Magnus and J. Tumilty (2005). Ghost

Fishing by Lost Fishing Gear. Final Report to DG Fisheries and Maritime Affairs of

the European Commission. Fish/2004/20. Institute for European Environmental

Policy / Poseidon Aquatic Resource Management Ltd joint report.

Brown J., Macfadyen G. 2007: Ghost fishing in European Waters: impacts and

management responses. Marine Policy 31, (2007) 488-504.

Commission Staff Working Document 365 FINAL, 2012. Overview of EU policies,

legislation and initiatives related to marine litter, 31.10.2012, Brussels.

Graham, N. et al., 2009: Recuperation of fishing nets lost or abandoned at sea, Final

Report, FISH/2006/15/Lot No. 5, European Commission Directorate - General for

Fisheries and Maritime Affairs, September 2009.

Macfadyen, G. et al., 2009: Abandoned, lost or otherwise Discarded fishing gear.

UNEP Regional Seas Reports and Studies, No. 185; FAO Fisheries and Aquaculture

Technical Paper, No. 523, Rome UNEP/FAO.

Marek Szulc, PhD, Eng 2013: Collecting ghost nets in the Baltic Sea, final report on

the activities conducted in 2012, WWF Poland Foundation, March 2013.

National Research Council, 2008. Tackling Marine Debris in the 21st Century.

National Academy Press, Washington, DC.

Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife 2002: Derelict Fishing Gear Removal

Guidelines, November 2002, US.