How many ghost nets are there in the world each year?

Every year, millions of fishing gear, including traps, nets, and lines, are lost at sea. According to the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), as much as 640,000 tons of fishing gear can disappear annually. These lost tools continue to catch fish and shellfish for several years – a phenomenon known as ghost fishing.
Scope of the problem: Several countries report significant losses of traps each year:
Norway: 20,000–30,000 traps are lost annually
USA (Maine): About 250,000 lobster traps are lost each year
United Kingdom: Over 25,000 lost traps annually
Australia: Several tens of thousands of traps are lost each year, especially in lobster and crab fishing

Why does this happen?
🔹 Extreme weather conditions and strong currents (40–50% of losses)
🔹 Theft and sabotage – a hidden but significant cause
🔹 Poor marking or attachment methods

What can we do? Innovative solutions such as TrapSaver™ can potentially reduce the loss of traps and minimize ghost fishing.By using technology for retrieval and better securing of gear, we can protect both the environment and fish resources.

Conclusion:
By covering 65% of the fisheries, TrapSaver™ could potentially prevent the loss of over 445,000 traps annually. This would dramatically reduce the amount of ghost fishing and environmental damage caused by lost traps.

A transition from traditional traps to TrapSaver™ can help ensure that fishermen preserve their gear, reduce economic losses, and simultaneously protect the marine ecosystem. Let us work together for a more sustainable future for the fishing industry!