Marine plastic pollution often conjures the image of bags, straws, or other single-use packaging items floating aimlessly in the aquatic environment or sullying otherwise beautiful beaches, and in response, seafood brands are making earnest commitments around managing their plastic footprint. However, with recent data revealing that 70- 86% of floating microplastic debris in the ocean gyres is comprised of lost, abandoned, or discarded fishing gear (ALDFG) or “ghost gear,” it is increasingly evident that ghost gear presents a tremendous opportunity for impact in the realm of plastics management. Not only does fishing gear represent a relevant element of the broader marine plastics dilemma, a major point of discussion in the ongoing negotiations for the International Legally Binding Instrument to end Plastic Pollution, commonly known as the “Plastics Treaty,” it also may be diminishing the longevity of the seafood industry. Lost fishing gear is the deadliest form of marine plastic pollution; lost gear- including from both wild capture fisheries as well as aquaculture operations- can result in the depletion of up to 30% of harvestable fish stocks annually. The Global Ghost Gear Initiative (GGGI) is the world’s premier cross-stakeholder alliance dedicated to the issue of ghost gear. In addition to uniting governments, multilaterals, research institutions, non-profits, and the technology sector, the GGGI works collaboratively with the seafood industry to develop custom-tailored solutions to address ALDFG vulnerability in each company’s respective seafood supply chain. In the last year, we’ve seen tremendous momentum from our industry member base, including a wave of commitments centered around preventing gear loss in those fisheries and farming operations from which their seafood is sourced.
This panel discussion will bring together GGGI members, including companies along the seafood value chain to present their unique approaches to identifying and preventing gear loss. Specifically, the session will be comprised of a panel discussion with GGGI member industry leaders- eg. representatives from StarKist, Bumble Bee Seafoods, Sea Farms, and others- who will highlight their meaningful progress on the issue of ghost gear. During the panel, panelists will take turns describing the steps their company is taking to 1. establish multi-year ghost gear action plans in concert with their seafood sustainability and plastics commitments, and 2. collaborate to develop industry-led solutions. Following the panel discussion, we will invite audience members to direct questions to their seafood industry colleagues.