page_title: Marine debris
section_title: Ghost nets
hierarchical_section_title: Marine debris / Types of debris / Ghost nets
caption_attribution_description: English: Turtle entangled in marine debris (ghost net) 日本語: 不法投棄された漁網に絡まってしまったウミガメ Deutsch: Schildkröte, die sich in einem verlorengegangenen oder gekappten Fischernetz ("Geisternetz") verfangen hat
context_page_description: Marine debris, also known as marine litter, is human-created waste that has deliberately or accidentally been released in a sea or ocean. Floating oceanic debris tends to accumulate at the center of gyres and on coastlines, frequently washing aground, when it is known as beach litter or tidewrack. Deliberate disposal of wastes at sea is called ocean dumping. Naturally occurring debris, such as driftwood, are also present.
  With the increasing use of plastic, human influence has become an issue as many types of plastics do not biodegrade. Waterborne plastic poses a serious threat to fish, seabirds, marine reptiles, and marine mammals, as well as to boats and coasts. Dumping, container spillages, litter washed into storm drains and waterways and wind-blown landfill waste all contribute to this problem.
  In efforts to prevent and mediate marine debris and pollutants, laws and policies have been adopted internationally. Depending on relevance to the issues and various levels of contribution, some countries have introduced more specified protection policies.
context_section_description: Fishing nets left or lost in the ocean by fishermen – ghost nets – can entangle fish, dolphins, sea turtles, sharks, dugongs, crocodiles, seabirds, crabs, and other creatures. These nets restrict movement, causing starvation, laceration and infection, and, in animals that breathe air, suffocation.
caption: A turtle trapped in a ghost net, an abandoned fishing net
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