International marine conservation organizations and local fishermen removed more than 25 tonnes of sea trash around the Greek Ionian island of Ithaca, WPTV reported. Divers have removed about 25 abandoned or lost fishing nets called “ghost nets” from the sea in the past two weeks.
A clip shared by Now this news on Twitter showed the divers picking up fishing nets from the seabed. A crane attached to a barge was also seen lifting and depositing the waste in large bins.
The cleanup activity was organized by Healthy Seas and an international non-profit group, Ghost Divers, ahead of World Oceans Day on June 8.
Watch the video here:
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PrimeWatch how these volunteer divers and local fishermen extracted over 25 tons of trash from the sea 😱 pic.twitter.com/xsnLYS9gE6
— NowThis (@nowthisnews) June 7, 2022
Healthy Seas said in a press release that the waste collected would be recycled into yarn to make socks, swimwear, sportswear and mats. He also noted that most of the trash was left behind by a fish farm that closed.
The press release also states that 6,40,000 tons of fishing gear are lost or abandoned every year in the seas and oceans. “The phenomenon takes on the name ‘ghost fishing’ because the nets seem almost invisible underwater, trapping and killing all sorts of marine animals,” the press release said.
Veronika Mikos, director of Healthy Seas, reportedly said in the press release: “The main difference of this ghost net cleanup project is that the owner of the derelict fishing gear we have discovered and removed has a name. We have confronted this environmental crime 2 years in a row, worked to restore it, as well as to understand who is responsible and in a position to do something about it. The case is very complicated. »
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