Economic fallout and the NETTAG+ project response
The economic fallout from ghost gear is equally severe, accelerating the need for advanced ghost gear removal technology. Marine debris damages vessel propellers, ruins commercial catches, and costs the EU fishing fleet over €61.7 million a year. It also hurts coastal tourism. To counter this dual crisis, the NETTAG+ project is developing technology to track, locate, and recover this hazardous marine litter. The international NETTAG+ consortium—spanning scientists, tech developers, port authorities, and environmental NGOs—is tackling the ghost gear problem through three distinct action plans:
[PREVENT: Fisher Awareness] ──> [AVOID: MyGearTag Location] ──> [MITIGATE: IRIS Robotic Recovery]
- PREVENT: This phase turns professional fishers into “Guardians of the Ocean.” Through dedicated peer-to-peer training, reward programs, and clean-up initiatives, fishing communities are incentivized to collect and properly dispose of marine litter trapped during routine operations.
- AVOID: This strategy focuses on accidental gear loss. It uses low-cost location tools to help fishers find and retrieve gear before it becomes a permanent hazard.
- MITIGATE: For nets already on the ocean floor, advanced underwater vehicles with AI sonar mapping search for ghost gear across wide areas.
Avoid strategy and gear tracking technology
MyGearTag acoustic gear location system
At the heart of the “Avoid” strategy is MyGearTag, a highly optimized, low-cost acoustic gear location system co-developed by Newcastle University and Succorfish Ltd. This system is designed specifically for everyday commercial fishing operations without requiring specialized scientific knowledge. Unlike traditional market options that are prohibitively expensive and built for the military or oil and gas sectors, MyGearTag provides a rugged, affordable alternative. The system consists of an ultra-durable acoustic tag attached directly to the nets, a Surface Locator Unit on the vessel, and an intuitive mobile app.
[Vessel App Interrogation] ──> [Acoustic Tag Responds] ──> [Real-Time Range Navigation]
- Signal Range: Up to 2.5 kilometers.
- Depth Certification: Operational beyond 650 meters, with structural integrity tested down to 1,400 meters.
- Eco-Friendly Acoustic Design: The tags remain completely silent until actively pinged by the vessel app, preventing constant underwater acoustic noise pollution that disrupts marine mammals.
- Battery Efficiency: Advanced power management guarantees a battery lifespan exceeding six months.
Recover strategy and autonomous retrieval support
IRIS ROV for deep-water ghost gear recovery
When a fishing vessel cannot safely retrieve lost gear due to extreme depth or rough conditions, port authorities can deploy the IRIS system—a Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) developed by INESCTEC. IRIS acts as an automated underwater rescue bot. Equipped with custom acoustic locators, the robot periodically interrogates the MyGearTag attached to the lost net.
Using the return signals, IRIS autonomously navigates through the deep ocean toward the target. Even in zero-visibility conditions, the vehicle uses a mix of high-resolution imaging cameras and intelligent sonar processing algorithms to assess the situation. Once it reaches the ghost gear, its integrated mechanical arm attaches a secure retrieval line, allowing teams to lift the heavy, hazardous mass safely back to the surface.
Source: Open Access Goverment
AIFlick Editor’s Note: The commercialization of systems like MyGearTag and IRIS marks a crucial shift from reactive ocean cleaning to proactive asset recovery. However, technology alone cannot solve systemic pollution. For these Tier-1 innovations to make a lasting global impact, policy managers must provide regulatory backing, subsidies, and infrastructure support to integrate acoustic tagging as a standard requirement in commercial fishing licenses.