The oceans are at the heart of our way of life – they are a source of culture, recreation, economic development and much more, from coast to coast to coast. Ghost gear, that is, abandoned, lost, or discarded fishing gear, can damage marine habitat and pose a threat to marine life, including to endangered species like the North Atlantic right whale. To keep our waters healthy and protect the long-term sustainability of Canada's multi-billion dollar fishing industry, it is imperative to work with harvesters and other partners to find solutions to prevent fishing gear loss.

“We know that the success of our oceans is the success of our fisheries, and the reverse is also true. I am proud that Canada is hosting the next International Gear Innovation Summit next year. I am hopeful that we can create and implement effective solutions, thereby ensuring the right balance between protecting marine species and continuing the fishing activities that are crucial to the economy of our coastal communities for future generations.”

The Honourable Diane Lebouthillier, Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard

• This summit will build on the successes and challenges following the Gear Innovation Summit  that Canada hosted in February 2020.

• The International Gear Innovation Summit is just one of Canada’s many international commitments and initiatives to combat lost fishing gear, also known as ghost gear. These include the United Nations Environment Programme’s Global Partnership on Plastic Pollution and Marine Litter and the Global Ghost Gear Initiative.

• The Government of Canada has invested more than $58.3 million to combat ghost gear through innovation and technology projects to track, find, and retrieve lost fishing gear.

• Since 2020, the Ghost Gear Fund has supported the retrieval of 36,753 units of gear, accounting for more than 2,244 tonnes of abandoned, lost or otherwise discarded fishing gear removed from Canada’s waters, as well as 883 km of rope.

• Canada has also invested more than $20 million to test whale-safe fishing gear, to help prevent marine mammal entanglements.

• Fisheries and Oceans Canada is developing a five-year Strategy for whale safe fishing gear, which will guide the testing and deployment of these fishing gears in Canadian fisheries.

Associated links

• Ghost gear
• Whalesafe fishing gear

Jérémy Collard
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard
Jeremy.Collard@dfo-mpo.gc.ca

Media Relations
Fisheries and Oceans Canada
Quebec Region
media.qc@dfo-mpo.gc.ca
418-648-5474

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