DP World Converts Ghost Nets Into Sunglasses

DP World is working with Deniz Yaşamını Koruma Derneği (Türkiye’s Marine Life Conservation Society) to remove ghost nets from the Sea of Marmara and give the recovered material a second life. Ghost nets can take up to 200 years to degrade, and left under the waves, they continue to trap and kill marine life, from sharks and turtles to much smaller organisms, long after they have been lost or abandoned.

The project aims to remove more than 1,000 m² of nets from the seabed around the Princes’ Islands, or about 800 kg of material.

The Deniz Yaşamını Koruma Derneği team tracks down abandoned nets using reports, technology, sea charts and local knowledge before carefully retrieving them from the seabed. The weight, size and location of each net are recorded, helping to build a clearer picture of where lost fishing gear has accumulated.

The work is focused in particular on deeper waters around Istanbul and the Princes’ Islands. Some of the nets have been recovered from more than 50 meters below the surface, including one found at a depth of 55 meters around the Princes’ Islands.

This story was originally published by Maritime Professional. Read the full story at Maritime Professional →