A recent study conducted by researchers at the University of the Azores has revealed that Nova Scotia lobster tags are appearing on the coastlines of isolated North Atlantic islands located thousands of kilometers away. The study analyzed over 1,500 pieces of plastic fishing gear debris that washed up on the Portuguese archipelago, with more than a third of the items originating from Canada, predominantly traced back to Lobster Fishing Area 34 in southwestern Nova Scotia. The remaining debris was linked to U.S. fisheries.
The plastic items found, such as rubber bands, trap corners, and escape vents, indicate that plastic waste from the East Coast has emerged as a significant source of pollution in the ocean, as per the study’s findings. Christopher Kim Pham, the lead researcher, highlighted that a strong clockwise ocean current transports a higher amount of marine litter to the Azores from North America compared to Europe.
Although the fishing gear debris constitutes only a fraction of the total waste washing ashore on the islands, Pham emphasized that it poses a threat to local marine ecosystems. His previous research identified plastic fishing gear as the most prevalent litter on the sea floor surrounding the archipelago. Pham noted that while fishing gear may not pose a greater risk than other forms of ocean plastic waste, its abundance exacerbates the overall plastic pollution issue, compounded by the lack of an international agreement on its management.
Echoing these concerns, Tony Walker, a professor at Dalhousie University, acknowledged the prevalence of stray lobster fishing gear in marine environments. He pointed out that American and Canadian fleets deploy around five million lobster traps annually, with a loss rate of approximately two percent, leading to tens of thousands of traps being abandoned, lost, or discarded in the ocean each year. Walker likened the situation to the “tragedy of the commons,” where the overuse of shared resources impacts everyone negatively.
Both Pham and Walker emphasized the challenges in reaching an international consensus on addressing transboundary plastic pollution but warned of deteriorating conditions without cooperation. Pham’s study advocates for preventive measures within Canadian and U.S. fisheries, such as redesigning lobster traps, promoting gear recycling, and monitoring the environmental impact of equipment to tackle the issue.
As public awareness of plastic pollution grows and behaviors shift, Pham highlighted the need to address the root cause of the problem – production – to effectively combat pollution. The Department of Fisheries and Oceans in Canada stated that commercial harvesters are mandated to report lost fishing gear through an online system. The government has allocated an additional $15 million towards retrieving ghost gear from Canadian waters, with previous funding having already supported the recovery of over 2,590 tonnes of lost gear since 2020.