The SeaDoc Society is a program of the Wildlife Health Center at the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine. Tax ID# 94-6036494.

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Lost Fishing Gear Recovery Project

Lost fishing gear is commercial and recreational fishing gear -- nets, traps, pots, line -- that becomes lost or is discarded in the water.

The gear ends up sitting on the sea floor, getting caught on rocky reefs, or floating in the water column.

The majority of this lost gear does not decompose in seawater and can remain in the marine environment for years.

Lost gear impacts the marine environment in several ways:bird in derelict net

  • it can continue to "catch" marine animals, which become entangled or trapped;
  • it can damage the habitat upon which it becomes entangled or upon which it rests;
  • it can pose an underwater hazard for boaters, entangling boat propellers and anchors;
  • and it can similarly endanger humans, especially divers.

Lost gear is also a visual blight, diminishing the natural aesthetic quality of the seafloor and rocky reef habitat for underwater enthusiasts.

Common dolphin skullSeaDoc works on derelict fishing gear in California and in the Salish Sea.

California

Our executive director, Kirsten Gilardi, runs the California Lost Fishing Gear Recovery Project out of the Wildlife Health Center offices at the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine. (Dr. Gilardi is also co-director of the Mountain Gorilla One Health Project and the Envirovet Summer Institute.)

Click here for details on the California program.

crab in netSalish Sea

SeaDoc provides technical assistance and support for derelict gear removal in the Salish Sea. We have worked closely with the Northwest Straits Commission to analyze data from recovered nets to determine the economic impact of lost gear and its removal. 

The results showed a clear return on investment for removing nets. For example, we calculated that an abandoned net might kill almost $20,000 worth of Dungeness crab over 10 years. Cost to remove? $1,358.00.

Click here to learn more about the economic impact of derelict gear.

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Why our work matters

Healthy ecosystems support economic prosperity. The Salish Sea provides abundant natural capital that contributes substantially to the financial prosperity of the region. Unhealthy ecosystems cost money because we lose the opportunity to benefit from them. The Salish Sea's deteriorating health threatens our economic well being and quality of life. SeaDoc uses science to find solutions to the problems facing the fish, wildlife and people of the Salish Sea.

How you can help:

Tell people about the work we're doing. Sign up for our email newsletter and share what you learn with your friends. Become a fan on Facebook and "like" and comment on posts that interest you. (The more people who like or comment on a post, the more people Facebook will show it to.)

Make a donation: Most of SeaDoc's work is supported by private donations from people like you who care about the health of our coastal ecosystems. Your donation makes it possible for us to keep doing the science that will give us objective information about designing a healthy ecosystem that benefits both people and wildlife. Click here to learn more about donating to SeaDoc.

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