WWF organized an entire day in Portofino Protected Marine Area on April 11th, aiming at promoting the fight against Ghost gear (nets, lines and fishing gear abandoned or accidentally lost in the sea) and seabed cleaning from litter, in order to recycle the plastics and obtain components for the automotive sector and for cosmetics packaging, according to circular economy principles and EcoeFISHent objectives.
Discarded fishing gear can damage the marine habitat (gorgonians, corals, sponges) which is then no longer able to provide sustenance to other marine organisms, compromising the entire marine ecosystem.
During the seabed cleaning from nets and lines, in collaboration with the Reef Alert Network divers of Portofino MPA, 5 kg of lines were recovered, probably deriving from recreational fishing activities.
Proplast, as EcoeFISHent partner, finally collected the recovered material in order to evaluate the actual chances to recycle the discarded plastic.