Derelict Fishing Gear Threatens Marine Biodiversity And Livelihoods Across Myeik Archipelago, Says New ReportMyanmar Ocean Project survey finds 95 percent of inspected marine ecosystems contaminated with abandoned, lost, or discarded fishing gear (ALDFG)
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Yangon, August 13, 2020 – Myanmar’s marine ecosystems are severely affected by abandoned, lost, and discarded fishing gear with potentially devastating long-term effects on local fishing communities and marine tourism opportunities, according to a Myanmar Ocean Project report released today.
The report, “Abandoned, Lost or otherwise Discarded Fishing Gear in Myanmar’s Myeik Archipelago”, reveals that ALDFG was recorded at 95 per cent of surveyed locations. Almost a third of the sites were identified as hotspots, where multiple layers of lost fishing nets harm local marine life, including commercially valuable as well as critically endangered species, and thereby contribute to the continued decline of local marine ecosystem health and fish stocks.
With over 40 percent of Myanmar’s population dependent on fishing or aquaculture for food and income, the deteriorating health of the country’s marine resources poses a severe threat to already vulnerable island and coastal communities. “This is an extremely urgent issue”, says Thanda Ko Gyi, Founder and Director of Myanmar Ocean Project. “We must stop marine pollution through fishing gear now, or else there won’t be any fish left to catch. The livelihoods of thousands of people across the Myeik Archipelago are at risk.”
The report proposes four main measures to tackle this issue: 1) raising awareness among the fishing industry about the devastating impacts of ALDFG on marine ecosystems; 2) setting up strategic collection points for end-of-life gear; 3) establishing and enforcing effective marine zoning mechanisms; and 4) introducing Marine Protected Areas around biodiversity hotspots.
“Lost or abandoned fishing gear is one of the biggest threats to our ocean. Setting up effective systems to prevent gear loss and provide responsible disposal options for fishers can make a huge difference. If we tackle this challenge at scale, we can protect vulnerable communities, provide effective solutions for fishers, and preserve marine ecosystems for future generations,” says Joel Baziuk, Deputy Director of Global Ghost Gear Initiative and National Geographic Explorer.
Myanmar Ocean Project conducted the first quantitative and qualitative survey of abandoned and lost fishing gear in Myanmar. Over the course of six expeditions and 43 diving days, a team of divers supported by fishing communities as well as local branches of Department of Fisheries, Fauna & Flora International and Istituto OIKOS surveyed 87 sites across the Myeik Archipelago. The divers removed over 1,800kg of harmful fishing nets from coral reefs, underwater pinnacles, and other marine habitats. Although gillnets were the most common gear type found, the researchers encountered other fishing gear types such as long lines, cages, pots and nylon nets from trawl vessels.
For further information about Myanmar Ocean Project’s work, please visit www.myanmarocean.org.
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Myanmar Ocean Project is a marine conservation organization with the mission to restore and protect the health of Myanmar’s ocean. Founded in 2018, the non-profit organization is the first to plan and execute strategic survey and cleanup expeditions to understand and assess the problem of abandoned, lost or otherwise discarded fishing gear (ALDFG) in Myanmar. The 2019 expeditions were funded by World Animal Protection and National Geographic Society. Myanmar Ocean Project is a member of the Global Ghost Gear Initiative and enjoys the support of the Ocean Conservancy.
Media Contact:
Thanda Ko Gyi
Myanmar Ocean Project
+95 9250663239
[email protected]
The report, “Abandoned, Lost or otherwise Discarded Fishing Gear in Myanmar’s Myeik Archipelago”, reveals that ALDFG was recorded at 95 per cent of surveyed locations. Almost a third of the sites were identified as hotspots, where multiple layers of lost fishing nets harm local marine life, including commercially valuable as well as critically endangered species, and thereby contribute to the continued decline of local marine ecosystem health and fish stocks.
With over 40 percent of Myanmar’s population dependent on fishing or aquaculture for food and income, the deteriorating health of the country’s marine resources poses a severe threat to already vulnerable island and coastal communities. “This is an extremely urgent issue”, says Thanda Ko Gyi, Founder and Director of Myanmar Ocean Project. “We must stop marine pollution through fishing gear now, or else there won’t be any fish left to catch. The livelihoods of thousands of people across the Myeik Archipelago are at risk.”
The report proposes four main measures to tackle this issue: 1) raising awareness among the fishing industry about the devastating impacts of ALDFG on marine ecosystems; 2) setting up strategic collection points for end-of-life gear; 3) establishing and enforcing effective marine zoning mechanisms; and 4) introducing Marine Protected Areas around biodiversity hotspots.
“Lost or abandoned fishing gear is one of the biggest threats to our ocean. Setting up effective systems to prevent gear loss and provide responsible disposal options for fishers can make a huge difference. If we tackle this challenge at scale, we can protect vulnerable communities, provide effective solutions for fishers, and preserve marine ecosystems for future generations,” says Joel Baziuk, Deputy Director of Global Ghost Gear Initiative and National Geographic Explorer.
Myanmar Ocean Project conducted the first quantitative and qualitative survey of abandoned and lost fishing gear in Myanmar. Over the course of six expeditions and 43 diving days, a team of divers supported by fishing communities as well as local branches of Department of Fisheries, Fauna & Flora International and Istituto OIKOS surveyed 87 sites across the Myeik Archipelago. The divers removed over 1,800kg of harmful fishing nets from coral reefs, underwater pinnacles, and other marine habitats. Although gillnets were the most common gear type found, the researchers encountered other fishing gear types such as long lines, cages, pots and nylon nets from trawl vessels.
For further information about Myanmar Ocean Project’s work, please visit www.myanmarocean.org.
###
Myanmar Ocean Project is a marine conservation organization with the mission to restore and protect the health of Myanmar’s ocean. Founded in 2018, the non-profit organization is the first to plan and execute strategic survey and cleanup expeditions to understand and assess the problem of abandoned, lost or otherwise discarded fishing gear (ALDFG) in Myanmar. The 2019 expeditions were funded by World Animal Protection and National Geographic Society. Myanmar Ocean Project is a member of the Global Ghost Gear Initiative and enjoys the support of the Ocean Conservancy.
Media Contact:
Thanda Ko Gyi
Myanmar Ocean Project
+95 9250663239
[email protected]
July 29, 2019
Myanmar Ocean Project Teams Up With Drone Specialist To Locate Discarded Fishing Nets
British researcher to survey Mergui Archipelago for ghost nets using aerial and underwater drones
Yangon, July 29, 2019 – Myanmar Ocean Project today announced it will partner with a scientist from University of Aberdeen, Scotland to test drone-based methods for identifying ghost gear hotspots around the Mergui (Myeik) Archipelago. In October 2019, a team of researchers will set out to trial this resource-efficient survey approach for three months.
Abandoned, lost, or otherwise discarded fishing gear (ALDFG, also ghost gear) is a severe problem in Myanmar’s waters as Myanmar Ocean Project’s first survey and clean-up expedition into the Mergui Archipelago earlier this year revealed. “By using drone technology we hope to quickly locate problem areas and spend our limited dive time removing hazardous fishing nets from the marine environment”, says Thanda Ko Gyi, founder and director of Myanmar Ocean Project. “We’re very excited to have a drone specialist support our mission to rid Myanmar’s ocean of ghost nets.”
Before teaming up with Myanmar Ocean Project, Sol Milne, a Ph.D. student at the University of Aberdeen, has been leading a UN-funded project to map orangutan habitats in Malaysian Borneo using drone technology. “Drones are an extremely effective tool to survey natural habitats.”, asserts Sol Milne. “To find discarded nets in shallow waters, we’ll be flying an aerial drone over the reef at very low altitude. In deeper areas, we’ll use a Trident ROV (underwater drone) to survey the seafloor.”
Ghost gear accounts for the majority of macroplastics in our ocean and has long-lasting ecological and economic impacts. “Over 40 percent of all known marine mammal species have been affected by ghost gear.”, says Joel Baziuk from Global Ghost Gear Initiative, the world’s premier global alliance dedicated to solving the problem of ALDFG. “We need urgent action. Pairing this new technology with conservation efforts is a great way to save time and money while addressing the ghost net pollution of our ocean.”
This project is supported by the Global Ghost Gear Initiative, Ocean Conservancy, and National Geographic.
###
Myanmar Ocean Project is a marine conservation organization focused on restoring and protecting the health of Myanmar’s ocean. Founded in 2018, the non-profit organization is the first to plan and execute strategic survey and cleanup expeditions to understand and assess the problem of abandoned, lost or otherwise discarded fishing gear (ALDFG) in Myanmar. During its 2019 activities, Myanmar Ocean Project, supported by local branches of Fauna & Flora International and Istituto Oikos, recovered more than 1000kg of derelict fishing gear from the ocean. The expeditions are funded by World Animal Protection and National Geographic Society. As part of their solution projects, Myanmar Ocean Project also enjoys the support of the Global Ghost Gear Initiative.
Media Contact:
Myanmar Ocean Project
Thanda Ko Gyi
+95 9250663239
[email protected]
www.myanmarocean.org
Global Ghost Gear Initiative
Joel Baziuk
[email protected]
https://www.ghostgear.org/
Abandoned, lost, or otherwise discarded fishing gear (ALDFG, also ghost gear) is a severe problem in Myanmar’s waters as Myanmar Ocean Project’s first survey and clean-up expedition into the Mergui Archipelago earlier this year revealed. “By using drone technology we hope to quickly locate problem areas and spend our limited dive time removing hazardous fishing nets from the marine environment”, says Thanda Ko Gyi, founder and director of Myanmar Ocean Project. “We’re very excited to have a drone specialist support our mission to rid Myanmar’s ocean of ghost nets.”
Before teaming up with Myanmar Ocean Project, Sol Milne, a Ph.D. student at the University of Aberdeen, has been leading a UN-funded project to map orangutan habitats in Malaysian Borneo using drone technology. “Drones are an extremely effective tool to survey natural habitats.”, asserts Sol Milne. “To find discarded nets in shallow waters, we’ll be flying an aerial drone over the reef at very low altitude. In deeper areas, we’ll use a Trident ROV (underwater drone) to survey the seafloor.”
Ghost gear accounts for the majority of macroplastics in our ocean and has long-lasting ecological and economic impacts. “Over 40 percent of all known marine mammal species have been affected by ghost gear.”, says Joel Baziuk from Global Ghost Gear Initiative, the world’s premier global alliance dedicated to solving the problem of ALDFG. “We need urgent action. Pairing this new technology with conservation efforts is a great way to save time and money while addressing the ghost net pollution of our ocean.”
This project is supported by the Global Ghost Gear Initiative, Ocean Conservancy, and National Geographic.
###
Myanmar Ocean Project is a marine conservation organization focused on restoring and protecting the health of Myanmar’s ocean. Founded in 2018, the non-profit organization is the first to plan and execute strategic survey and cleanup expeditions to understand and assess the problem of abandoned, lost or otherwise discarded fishing gear (ALDFG) in Myanmar. During its 2019 activities, Myanmar Ocean Project, supported by local branches of Fauna & Flora International and Istituto Oikos, recovered more than 1000kg of derelict fishing gear from the ocean. The expeditions are funded by World Animal Protection and National Geographic Society. As part of their solution projects, Myanmar Ocean Project also enjoys the support of the Global Ghost Gear Initiative.
Media Contact:
Myanmar Ocean Project
Thanda Ko Gyi
+95 9250663239
[email protected]
www.myanmarocean.org
Global Ghost Gear Initiative
Joel Baziuk
[email protected]
https://www.ghostgear.org/
April 9, 2019
Myanmar Ocean Project Recovers 1,014kg of Discarded Fishing Gear from Mergui Archipelago
First-ever dive expeditions reveal concerning amount of fishing nets in Myanmar waters
Yangon, April 9, 2019 – Myanmar Ocean Project today announced it removed 1,014kg of abandoned, lost, or otherwise discarded fishing gear (ALDFG, also ghost gear), during its first survey and cleanup missions in the Mergui (Myeik) Archipelago over the past two months. Covering 22 sites around Langann Island, Lampi Marine National Park, and Myanmar’s top dive sites, the marine conservation organization discovered vast amounts of fishing nets covering coral reefs, rocks, and other marine habitats. A team of scuba divers removed the most harmful nets that were actively killing marine life.
Working with local fishing communities and Myanmar’s local branch of Fauna & Flora International, Myanmar Ocean Project set out to understand and assess the problem in Myanmar by conducting strategic dive surveys in potential ghost gear hotspots. The number of fishing nets encountered surpassed the organization’s expectations by far. “We knew, we’d find a lot of nets, but we were shocked to discover the magnitude of the problem”, says Thanda Ko Gyi, founder and director of Myanmar Ocean Project.
Discarded fishing gear is one of the biggest threats to marine life around the globe. Each year, about 640,000 tons of fishing gear end up in the ocean suffocating, drowning, maiming, and starving marine animals including turtles, sharks, and mantas. Establishing Marine Protected Areas (MPA) could be one of the possible solutions to this issue. “Compared to unprotected marine areas, we encountered a significantly lower amount of fishing nets within Marine Protected Areas”, adds Ms. Ko Gyi.
“MPAs or co-managed areas such as Locally Managed Marine Areas (LMMAs) are vital not only to conserve marine ecosystems but also to protect local communities who depend on the ocean for their survival. Healthy oceans benefit everyone, including fishers. However these need to be complemented with comprehensive fishing regulations including the disposal of old nets”, says Robert Howard, Fauna & Flora International’s Myanmar Marine Programme Manager.
For further information about the work of Myanmar Ocean Project, please contact Thanda Ko Gyi via phone or email, or visit the organization’s website at www.myanmarocean.org.
Myanmar Ocean Project is a marine conservation organization with the mission to restore and protect the health of Myanmar’s ocean. Founded in 2018, the non-profit organization is the first to plan and execute strategic survey and cleanup expeditions to understand and assess the problem of abandoned, lost, or otherwise discarded fishing gear (ALDFG) in Myanmar. The expeditions are funded by World Animal Protection and National Geographic Society. As part of their solution projects, Myanmar Ocean Project also enjoys the support of the Global Ghost Gear Initiative. During this season’s activities, Myanmar Ocean Project has been working closely with local branches of Fauna & Flora International and Istituto Oikos to plan and execute its expeditions and trainings.
###
Media Contact:
Myanmar Ocean Project
+95 9 250 663 239
[email protected]
www.myanmarocean.org
Fauna & Flora International - Myanmar
+95 (0) 973 194 749
[email protected]
www.fauna-flora.org/countries/myanmar
Working with local fishing communities and Myanmar’s local branch of Fauna & Flora International, Myanmar Ocean Project set out to understand and assess the problem in Myanmar by conducting strategic dive surveys in potential ghost gear hotspots. The number of fishing nets encountered surpassed the organization’s expectations by far. “We knew, we’d find a lot of nets, but we were shocked to discover the magnitude of the problem”, says Thanda Ko Gyi, founder and director of Myanmar Ocean Project.
Discarded fishing gear is one of the biggest threats to marine life around the globe. Each year, about 640,000 tons of fishing gear end up in the ocean suffocating, drowning, maiming, and starving marine animals including turtles, sharks, and mantas. Establishing Marine Protected Areas (MPA) could be one of the possible solutions to this issue. “Compared to unprotected marine areas, we encountered a significantly lower amount of fishing nets within Marine Protected Areas”, adds Ms. Ko Gyi.
“MPAs or co-managed areas such as Locally Managed Marine Areas (LMMAs) are vital not only to conserve marine ecosystems but also to protect local communities who depend on the ocean for their survival. Healthy oceans benefit everyone, including fishers. However these need to be complemented with comprehensive fishing regulations including the disposal of old nets”, says Robert Howard, Fauna & Flora International’s Myanmar Marine Programme Manager.
For further information about the work of Myanmar Ocean Project, please contact Thanda Ko Gyi via phone or email, or visit the organization’s website at www.myanmarocean.org.
Myanmar Ocean Project is a marine conservation organization with the mission to restore and protect the health of Myanmar’s ocean. Founded in 2018, the non-profit organization is the first to plan and execute strategic survey and cleanup expeditions to understand and assess the problem of abandoned, lost, or otherwise discarded fishing gear (ALDFG) in Myanmar. The expeditions are funded by World Animal Protection and National Geographic Society. As part of their solution projects, Myanmar Ocean Project also enjoys the support of the Global Ghost Gear Initiative. During this season’s activities, Myanmar Ocean Project has been working closely with local branches of Fauna & Flora International and Istituto Oikos to plan and execute its expeditions and trainings.
###
Media Contact:
Myanmar Ocean Project
+95 9 250 663 239
[email protected]
www.myanmarocean.org
Fauna & Flora International - Myanmar
+95 (0) 973 194 749
[email protected]
www.fauna-flora.org/countries/myanmar
