The new Marine Stewardship Council requirements to improve ghost gear management: Insights from the policy development process

Abandoned, lost or discarded fishing gear, otherwise known as ‘ghost gear’, impacts marine ecosystems in a variety of important ways. The growing recognition of these impacts has led to an evolution of fisheries management with a focus on gear loss avoidance and ghost gear mitigation. The Marine Stewardship Council has responded to the global ghost gear challenge through important revisions made to its Fisheries Standard during the recent Fisheries Standard Review (FSR). Fisheries certified against the Fisheries Standard will now be required to explicitly assess and manage their ghost gear impact on target stocks, on bycatch and on marine habitats - this outcome received strong support during public consultation undertaken for the policy development process. These changes are aimed implementation of best practice management strategies which emphasise gear loss preventative measures supplemented by mitigation and remedial action to minimise impact of ghost gear. The paper covers key insights of the policy development process which supported these changes including best practice research, policy design, public consultation, and impact testing. Conclusions of the policy process are discussed, included their likely implications for fisheries currently certified and those planning to seek certification against the MSC Fisheries Standard.