Marine Policy - Call for contributions to a special issue on Abandoned, Lost and Discarded Fishing Gear

Over the past decade there has been increasing recognition of the need to address adverse ecological and socioeconomic effects of abandoned, lost and discarded fishing gear (ALDFG), also called derelict fishing gear. This component of marine debris has been increasingly problematic due to the rapid expansion of the area and depth of the footprint and effort of global capture fisheries and the transition to synthetic, less-expensive and more durable materials for gear components.

We invite contributions to this Special Issue on all aspects of ALDFG, including but not limited to:

· Methods for assessing causes, rates and magnitudes of production of ALDFG

· Estimates of ALDFG production rates and levels from local to global scales, by gear type and by seafood product category

· Direct and indirect drivers for the production of derelict gear

· Government subsidies as a driver for ALDFG production

· Economic, social and environmental effects of ALDFG, including:

o Ghost fishing effects on threatened and principal market species

o Transfer of toxins and microplastics into marine food webs

o Spread of invasive alien species

o Distribution of microalgae that may cause harmful algal blooms

o Habitat alteration and damage

o Obstruction of in-use fishing gear and vessel navigation

o Reduced socioeconomic value of coastal and nearshore areas

· Progress in implementation of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 14.1 related to ALDFG mitigation

· Methods to manage and mitigate ALDFG production and adverse consequences

· Gear marking to increase visibility & identify ownership; implementation of FAO’s Voluntary Guidelines for the Marking of Fishing Gear

· Replacement of plastic and toxic metals in commonly lost fishing gear components

· Voluntary industry policies on ALDFG production

· Effective compliance monitoring of ALDFG management measures

· Assessment of ALDFG by the Marine Stewardship Council fisheries standard

· Extended Producer Responsibility schemes for fishing gear

· Tracing ALDFG to the owner, last operator and through the supply chain

· Management of oil and gas infrastructure to mitigate ALDFG production

· Advances in the development of commercially viable biodegradable fishing gear

· Abandoned and lost fish aggregating devices (FADs)

· ALDFG port reception facilities

· Recycling derelict fishing gear

· Technology to locate and remove ALDFG

· Methods to mitigate dolly rope loss from bottom trawls

The ALDFG Special Issue Guest Editors are: Eric Gilman, Pelagic Ecosystems Research Group, USA; Michel Kaiser, Heriot-Watt University, UK; Kelsey Richardson, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), Australia; Petri Suuronen, Natural Resources Institute Finland; Saly Thomas, ICAR-Central Institute of Fisheries Technology, India; Jono Wilson, The Nature Conservancy, USA.

All forms of contributions are invited, including systematic and unstructured reviews, meta-analyses, original primary research, case studies and opinion pieces. Contributions should include an analysis and discussion of related policy, governance or legal aspects.

To submit your manuscript:

Manuscripts are to be submitted through the journal’s online editorial management system at https://www.editorialmanager.com/jmpo/default1.aspx. You will assign the manuscript to the ALDFG Special Issue during the submission process, and you are to note that the manuscript is being submitted to the special issue in your cover letter.

Manuscript must be submitted by 1 June 2022 to be considered for inclusion in the ALDFG Special Issue.

Accepted articles will be published online immediately as they are accepted and clear production (rather than waiting for all papers in the special issue to be submitted, revised and accepted). Once all articles are published, they will then be compiled into an online ALDFG Special Section.

For more information: Eric Gilman, FisheriesResearchGroup@gmail.com