Biodegradable nets are not a panacea, but can contribute to addressing the ghost fishing problem

For some decades, the capture of marine animals by Abandoned, Lost, or otherwise Discarded Fishing Gear (ALDFG) has been identified as a major issue for both fisheries and marine conservation (Laist, 1987; Macfadyen, Huntington & Cappell, 2009). ALDFG raises a number of issues, including stock depletion for species targeted by the fishery, mortality to non-target species, which in some cases are species of conservation concern (Derraik, 2002; Wilcox et al., 2015), hazards to other vessels due to fouling of propellers or fishing gear, and costs for removal that are imposed on public agencies or other bodies (Macfadyen et al., 2009). Kim et al. (2016) explore biodegradable polymers as a possible solution to the issue, for passive fishing gear such as gillnets and trammel nets. These nets had only slightly lower catch rates than conventional nylon nets in field tests, and yet they showed clear signs of degradation within 2 years of introduction to salt water.