Abandoned fishing gear poses silent threat to marine life along Texas coast

“Ghost fishing,” or “ghost gear,” can trap and kill marine life. Here’s how to prevent that from happening.

Spring break poses the potential for a variety of local risks, one of which may not be as commonly discussed as others: “ghost fishing.” The National Ocean Service defines ghost fishing as “a term that describes what happens when derelict fishing gear ‘continues to fish.’” Basically, it means that discarded fishing gear like pots, nets, and traps, can entangle and kill marine life, which is something the Texas Marine Mammal Stranding Network is trying to prevent.

The nonprofit’s executive director, Heidi Whitehead, said, “These entanglements are essentially life-threatening wraps at times. It can include really extensive links of fishing gear that can weigh them down over time and prevent them from becoming streamlined enough to feed properly. It can basically cause amputations of their limbs.” She added, “Dolphins in particular tend to get these entanglements around their pectoral flippers or their tail flukes or their dorsal fin.” In addition to harming animals, “ghost gear” can smother natural habitats and make it more difficult for marine life to navigate waters with ease.

Around 150 mammals are stranded every year in Texas, and Whitehead said that roughly 4-5% of those strandings can be linked to entanglements. “However, it’s really important to note that those numbers are very conservative because those are only the ones that we’re able to detect,” she said. Whitehead noted that, “There are likely many animals that are becoming entangled that we don’t become aware of if the stranding doesn’t come ashore or they don’t get seen and reported on the water.”

There are easy ways to prevent ghost fishing

Whether you’re in Texas for spring break or you’re a local, taking steps to prevent ghost fishing is easy to do. Heidi Whitehead said some of the simplest solutions involve reusing and recycling your gear. By recycling your fishing line and reusing leftover bait, you’re doing your small part to protect marine life. She also suggested using circle hooks, and reminded anglers that they shouldn’t be casting lines toward dolphins or trying to feed them. Those two things can pose their own potential risks to the mammals. It’s generally important to make sure you clean up after yourself when you’re done fishing a certain spot, and that you’re properly disposing of items you no longer need instead of simply leaving them behind.

The NOAA Marine Debris Program is available for fishermen who are seeking a designated place to safely get rid of their gear for free. You can email the regional director for assistance at [email protected]. And, if you happen to come across an injured, stranded, or entangled marine mammal in Texas, please report the matter to 1-800-9MAMMAL right away.