Result: Lost fishing gear is collected from the sea in Finland

Last summer, lost fishing nets were collected off Rauma and Uusikaupunki by dragging. More than 4 kilometers of nets were obtained. In addition to them, weights, strings, anchors, fishing line and hooks were found.The Re:Fish project continues to map areas where lost gear could be found.

Garbage from fishing can remain in the environment for decades. The oldest identified fishing gear taken from the sea was from 1983. Lost fish nets cause many kinds of harm to the environment, fishermen, boaters and those who enjoy recreation by the waterways, but there is little information about their number in Finland. 

“The combined length of the nets was more than 4 kilometers, which corresponds to about 130 individual 30-meter nets. Most of the nets were low, less than 2 meters high, nets with a mesh size of 45 mm, which are used to catch pikeperch and whitefish”, describes senior researcher Pekka Kotilainen from the Finnish Environmental Center.  

“The lifted nets had dead fish, bird bones and bottom debris, such as bits of plastic, cans, plastic containers and rain pants. In addition, clams and other benthic animals occasionally came up with the nets,” says Kotilainen. 

Want to know more? Read the full press release from the Finnish Environmental Center (SYKE)