ERC led the delivery of Abandoned, Lost and Discarded Fishing Gear (ALDFG) baseline assessments in case study SAR countries. The aim was to design, implement and conduct national baseline assessments of ALDFG and to map spatial variation using “hot spot” analysis.  The work focused on marine capture fisheries in each of the 4 case study countries (i.e. Bangladesh, Pakistan, Maldives and Sri Lanka).

The approach involved conducting fisher surveys within each of the case study countries involving a representative sample of fishers, addressing key data requirements and parameters aimed at delivering quantitative data on the life cycle of fishing gear including the amount lost as ALDFG, as well as the quantities repaired, recycled and disposed. Primary data collection was supplemented by stakeholder engagement.

This work was published by the World Bank and was used as part of the negotiations for the Global Plastics Treaty during the INC-3 event in December 2023.

Reference: World Bank. (2023) Tangled Seas: A Snapshot of Abandoned, Lost, or Otherwise Discarded Fishing Gear in South Asia. Washington, DC: The World Bank