Australia Becomes 24th Country to Join Global Initiative Tackling the Deadliest Form of Ocean Plastic Pollution

SYDNEY – In her closing address to the Global Nature Positive Summit today, Australia’s Minister for the Environment and Water, Tanya Plibersek, announced that Australia has joined Ocean Conservancy’s Global Ghost Gear Initiative (GGGI). The GGGI is the world’s largest alliance solely dedicated to solving the problem of abandoned, lost or otherwise discarded fishing gear, also known as “ghost gear,” which is a major source of ocean plastic pollution. The Australian government also announced that it will be investing $1.4 million (AUD) toward regional action on ghost nets in the Arafura and Timor Seas.

“Ghost gear is the deadliest form of marine debris and a critical part of solving the ocean plastics pollution crisis,” said Hannah Pragnell-Raasch, a Policy Specialist for Ocean Conservancy’s GGGI and based in Australia. “We are thrilled that Australia has joined the Global Ghost Gear Initiative and is proactively supporting neighboring countries in the Asia Pacific to address ghost gear. This is particularly timely as we prepare for the final round of plastics treaty negotiations taking place next month in Busan, South Korea, where we have been working with Member States to include specific provisions to prevent, mitigate and remediate the impacts of ghost gear.”

Minister Plibersek’s closing address to the Global Nature Positive Summit where she makes this announcement is available HERE.

As a GGGI member, Australia will work closely with GGGI to take regional action with the aim of preventing and mitigating the impacts of ghost gear. Additionally, Australia has been supporting a range of global efforts to tackle ghost gear such as the inclusion of ghost gear measures in the UN plastics treaty, among others.

Gear loss occurs wherever fishing takes place, often due to rough weather, snags beneath the surface, and marine traffic accidentally running it over and cutting it loose. Fishing gear is a major source of ocean plastics pollution and represents up to 86% of all floating macroplastics in ocean gyres by weight. Ocean Conservancy research has found that ghost gear is the single deadliest form of marine debris, and the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) estimates that an up to 30% decline in some fish stocks can be attributed to ghost gear.

The 23 other member countries of the GGGI include Belgium, Canada, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Germany, Iceland, Mexico, Montserrat, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Palau, Panama, Samoa, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tuvalu, United Kingdom, United States, and Vanuatu.

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About the Global Ghost Gear Initiative

Ocean Conservancy’s Global Ghost Gear Initiative (GGGI) is the only cross-sectoral alliance dedicated to solving the problem of abandoned, lost, or otherwise discarded fishing gear (ALDFG) – widely referred to as “ghost gear” – around the world. The GGGI brings together more than 150 stakeholder groups, including 24 national governments as well as representatives from civil society, the private sector, public agencies, academia, intergovernmental organizations, and others from across the fishing industry to tackle ghost gear at a global scale. Learn more at www.ghostgear.org.

About Ocean Conservancy

Ocean Conservancy is working to protect the ocean from today’s greatest global challenges. Together with our partners, we create evidence-based solutions for a healthy ocean and the wildlife and communities that depend on it. For more information, visit www.oceanconservancy.org, or follow us on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter) or Instagram.