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Mapping of the ghost nets

City
Vigo
Country
Spain
Stage of project
Stage 2: R&D
Sea basin regions
Atlantic Ocean (including North Sea)
Topics
Healthy and clean ocean
Categories
Research related to solve marine and societal challenges
Ocean conservation
Community engagement - work with local communities to solve local marine and social challenges and with high social acceptance potential
Description

Galicia is the coastal region of Europe with the largest artisanal fishing fleet because it is under the influence of a deep-water outcrop that causes it to be a very diverse and productive ecosystem, all accentuated by the special morphology of its coast.The project that I propose is the elaboration of a database, with geographic information, on the situation of fishing, shellfish and aquaculture gear for its possible removal from the natural environment, as these artifacts are very harmful to biological diversity and productivity of our estuaries. The activities consist on map and eliminate the nets, by creating a repository where all the nets are located. Ghost nets are abandonend instruments from the fishing activities, that remain in the ocean when they are lost by a boat. Knowing that the majority of the plastics in the sea come from the fishing industry, it is possible to imagin all the impact that these instruments have. The more obvius impact is the reduction of the biodiversity, capturing animals from a wide range like fishes and arthropods. The information necessary for the location of these artifacts would be compiled on a web page open to the general public, but especially aimed at diving centers, fishermen's associations, researchers and any public or private entity that has links with the marine environment.

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