The Struggle Against Ghost Gear in Canadian Waters

Fishing equipment like nets, traps and lines that have been lost or abandoned are a serious problem for marine wildlife. They’re designed to trap sea creatures, and to last a long time. It’s called ghost gear, and Canada is leading the charge in efforts to clean it up. But it is challenging and often dangerous work.

Today, The Globe’s BC reporter Justine Hunter explains how all this fishing gear ended up at the bottom of our oceans in the first place, why it’s so destructive to wildlife and what the obstacles are in trying to clean it up.

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