Recovering lost fishing gear and saving money

Lost or derelict fishing gear kills millions of animals per year. Much of this fishing equipment is made of synthetic materials that do not degrade in the ocean and can persist for decades. A study conducted by SeaDoc Society and the Northwest Straits Commission showed that while it costs $1,358 to remove a derelict net, every net removed saves $1,966 in Dungeness crab alone annually – that means we’re making about 50% return on our investment in year one, then annually for decades thereafter.

• Marine species mortality in derelict fishing nets in Puget Sound, WA and the cost/benefits of derelict net removal.