Canada's Ghost Gear Action Plan

How we’re combatting abandoned, lost or discarded fishing gear (ghost gear) that is a source of marine plastic debris, that can harm marine animals, fish stocks and habitats

Phase 1 (2019-2024): Building capacity, knowledge, and becoming world leaders

Identifying and addressing ghost gear in our waters by:

• Making lost gear reporting mandatory for commercial fisheries
• Developing the online Fishing Gear Reporting System
• Helping partners get and test technologies
• Retrieving over 2,470 tonnes of lost gear and 925 km of rope in Canada and abroad
• Supporting responsible disposal of end of life and ghost gear
• Working with international partners, such as the United Nations and the Global Ghost Gear Initiative

Phase 2 (2024-present): Modernizing Canada’s fisheries

To prevent ghost gear, we are seeking feedback from Indigenous groups and stakeholders to:

• Establish best management practices to prevent gear loss
• Develop regulations for how harvesters manage gear

Phase 3: Managing Canada’s fisheries

Implementation of best practices and new regulations developed in phase 2 to prevent, and reduce the impact of ghost gear, that are tailored to specific fisheries and guided by partner feedback and risk assessments.