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In recent years, lost or abandoned fishing nets have become an increasing problem for marine ecosystems. Trawlers or fishing boats often lose nets, which then settle on the seabed, accumulating debris and forming "underwater dumps." Additionally, marine organisms such as fish, birds, dolphins, and others can become entangled in these nets and die. These lost nets are often called "ghost nets." The loss of nets is also a serious issue for fishermen, so several countries have begun studying the problem and seeking solutions.

To examine the impact of "ghost nets" on the Black Sea ecosystem, the project "Exorcising the Black Sea's Silent Killers" was launched to quantify and reduce the effects of abandoned, accidentally lost, or discarded fishing gear on the Black Sea environment. This initiative is coordinated by the Romanian NGO Mare Nostrum, which has been dedicated to studying threats to the Black Sea ecosystem for decades. Key project partners include Turkey's Black Sea Technical University, the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences’ Institute of Oceanology, and Ilia State University in Georgia. The project is funded by the Interreg NEXT Black Sea Basin Programme and co-funded by the European Union. The duration of the project is 18 months, with a total budget of €456,660.26.

As part of the "Exorcising the Black Sea's Silent Killers" project, the plan includes locating lost nets in each country’s territorial waters, retrieving around 2 tons of nets from the seabed to reduce their environmental impact on the Black Sea, cataloging organisms caught in the nets, surveying fishermen about where and under what conditions they lose nets, and spreading information about "ghost nets" among various target audiences.

In September, the first maritime operation took place, inspecting several locations where lost nets might be found. At one site, a net weighing over 1500 kg was discovered at a depth of approximately 24 meters (Photo 1). Debris had already begun accumulating in the net. Black Sea scorpion fish (Scorpaena porcus), also known as scorpionfish, were hiding there (Photo 1), along with red mullet (Mullus barbatus) (Photo 2), damselfish (Chromis chromis), and others. The net’s retrieval is planned for the spring, using specialized equipment.

2024