Ghost Fishing Gear in Rhode Island: The Hidden Threat Beneath Our Waters
When most people think about ocean pollution, they picture plastic bottles, food wrappers, or other trash washing up on the beach. But some of the most harmful marine debris in Rhode Island is hidden beneath the water's surface.
It's called ghost fishing gear, and it can continue trapping and injuring marine life long after it has been lost or abandoned. From Narragansett Bay to the waters surrounding Block Island, lost fishing traps, tangled lines, and abandoned nets can create lasting problems for marine ecosystems. Unlike ordinary litter, some of this equipment continues doing what it was designed to do: catch animals. Understanding ghost fishing gear is an important part of protecting Rhode Island's coastal waters, supporting healthy fisheries, and preventing marine debris from accumulating in the ocean.
What Is Ghost Fishing Gear?
Ghost fishing gear, also known as derelict fishing gear, refers to fishing equipment that has been lost, abandoned, or discarded and is no longer under the control of its user.
Common examples include:
Fishing nets: Lost nets that can entangle fish, sea turtles, and other marine animals.
Lobster traps and fishing pots: Equipment that can continue capturing fish and crustaceans after being lost.
Fishing line: Discarded or broken line that can wrap around wildlife.
Ropes and buoy lines: Loose or tangled rope that can create entanglement hazards.
Other fishing equipment: Floats, trap components, and related materials that become marine debris.
The term ghost fishing describes what happens when abandoned equipment continues to catch animals without anyone retrieving or maintaining it.
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), derelict fishing gear can trap marine animals, damage habitats, and create hazards for vessels.
Why Is Ghost Fishing Gear a Problem in Rhode Island?
Rhode Island may be the smallest state, but its coastal waters support an active commercial fishing industry, recreational fishing, boating, and diverse marine ecosystems. Narragansett Bay is particularly vulnerable to lost fishing gear because so many activities take place within a relatively limited area. Commercial fishermen use traps and pots to harvest species such as lobster, whelk, scup, tautog, and black sea bass. These traps are typically placed on the seafloor and marked with surface buoys. However, fishing equipment can become lost when storms, strong currents, vessel traffic, or interactions with other fishing gear damage or separate it from its markers.
Once the equipment is no longer retrievable by its owner, it may remain underwater for years.
Thousands of Ghost Traps Have Been Identified in Narragansett Bay
This isn't just a theoretical problem. In August 2023, a side-scan sonar survey conducted as part of Rhode Island's ghost gear removal efforts identified approximately 2,200 ghost traps in Narragansett Bay. The Commercial Fisheries Research Foundation (CFRF) has been working with commercial fishermen and other partners to locate and remove this equipment. During seven removal surveys between March and April 2025, the foundation reported recovering:
2025 NARRAGANSETT BAY GHOST GEAR REMOVAL RESULTS
269
Lobster and conch traps
4,220
Pounds of scrap metal
1,368
Pounds of rope
200
Pounds of plastic
These findings show that ghost fishing gear is a measurable marine debris problem in Rhode Island, even when much of it remains invisible from shore.
1. Traps Can Continue Catching Animals
An abandoned lobster trap may continue capturing marine animals even after the fisherman who placed it has lost access to it.
Fish or crustaceans can enter a trap and become unable to escape. If those animals die, their remains may attract additional animals, creating a repeated cycle of unintended capture. This process is one reason lost fishing traps can remain harmful long after they disappear beneath the surface.
2. Fishing Lines and Nets Can Entangle Wildlife
Fishing line, rope, and abandoned nets can wrap around marine animals, restricting their movement or preventing them from feeding. Entanglement can affect fish, seabirds, sea turtles, and marine mammals. In severe cases, tangled gear can cause injuries, exhaustion, drowning, or death. NOAA identifies abandoned fishing gear as a significant source of wildlife entanglement in marine environments.
3. Ghost Gear Can Damage Underwater Habitats
Rhode Island's coastal ecosystems include eelgrass beds, rocky habitats, and seafloor environments that provide food and shelter for marine life. Heavy traps and tangled fishing equipment can damage sensitive habitats when they drag along the bottom or become lodged in underwater structures. Abandoned gear may also interfere with the movement and feeding of animals living near the seafloor.
4. Fishing Gear Can Become Long-Lasting Plastic Pollution
Modern fishing gear frequently contains synthetic materials such as nylon, polyethylene, and polypropylene.
These materials are designed to withstand harsh marine conditions, which makes them useful for fishing but problematic if lost.
Over time, sunlight, abrasion, and physical wear can break plastic components into smaller fragments.
These fragments can contribute to microplastic pollution, which is difficult to remove once dispersed throughout the marine environment.
How Does Fishing Gear Become Lost?
It's important to understand that ghost gear is not always the result of someone intentionally throwing equipment into the ocean. Many fishermen depend on their equipment for their livelihoods and have strong financial reasons to avoid losing it.
Common causes of gear loss include storms, shifting currents, boat propellers, conflicts between different types of fishing equipment, and damage to buoy lines.
Rhode Island's combination of commercial fishing, recreational boating, and seasonal coastal weather creates opportunities for these incidents to occur. Preventing ghost gear requires cooperation among fishermen, researchers, environmental organizations, and coastal communities.
What's Being Done to Remove Ghost Fishing Gear in Rhode Island?
Removing abandoned fishing gear from underwater environments is more complicated than collecting litter from a beach. Large traps, heavy ropes, and tangled nets may require specialized vessels, underwater imaging equipment, and experienced crews.
The Commercial Fisheries Research Foundation has developed a ghost gear removal and prevention program that works with local commercial fishermen, researchers, and state partners. Its work includes locating abandoned equipment using side-scan sonar, identifying removal targets, recovering debris, and sorting collected materials for reuse, recycling, or disposal. Some recovered gear can even be returned to its owner when identification tags remain intact and the equipment is usable.
These efforts demonstrate why partnerships between the fishing community and marine conservation organizations are so important.
What Can Rhode Islanders Do to Help Prevent Ghost Fishing Gear? You don't need to own a boat or work in the fishing industry to help address fishing-related marine debris. Many practical prevention efforts begin on land.
Dispose of Fishing Line Properly
If you enjoy recreational fishing, always collect used or broken fishing line.
Never leave tangled line on beaches, piers, rocks, or docks. Even small pieces can create entanglement hazards for wildlife.
Use a designated fishing line recycling container when one is available and accepts your line type. Otherwise, secure the line and follow local disposal guidance.
Participate in Coastal Cleanups
Volunteer beach cleanups help remove fishing-related debris before it can be carried back into coastal waters. During cleanups, volunteers may encounter items such as discarded line, rope fragments, floats, or other fishing-related materials. Removing accessible debris helps reduce additional pollution while creating opportunities to educate others about responsible fishing and coastal stewardship. However, beach cleanup volunteers should not attempt to recover submerged traps, haul heavy gear from the water, or disturb equipment that may still be actively used.
Report Large or Dangerous Fishing Gear
If you discover what appears to be abandoned fishing equipment, avoid attempting to remove it yourself when it is submerged, unusually heavy, tangled around structures, or potentially hazardous. Instead, record the location and take a photograph from a safe distance if possible. Contact the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management or an appropriate local marine authority for guidance.
If wildlife is entangled, do not attempt a rescue without trained responders.
Support Organizations Working to Protect Rhode Island's Coastline
Preventing marine debris requires consistent community involvement. By volunteering, supporting conservation initiatives, and sharing reliable information, Rhode Islanders can help reduce the amount of harmful debris entering coastal ecosystems.
How ORCA Helps Protect Rhode Island's Coastal Environment
At the Ocean Recovery Community Alliance (ORCA), we believe protecting the ocean begins with understanding the challenges facing our local waters. Ghost fishing gear is one example of how marine debris can affect ecosystems long after an item is lost or discarded. While removing submerged traps and large underwater nets requires specialized equipment and trained crews, community beach cleanups play an important role in preventing additional fishing-related debris from entering the ocean.
Through volunteer cleanups, environmental education, and community involvement, ORCA helps Rhode Islanders take meaningful action to protect their coastline.
Every properly discarded fishing line, every piece of shoreline debris removed, and every person who learns how marine pollution affects wildlife contributes to healthier coastal environments.
Frequently Asked Questions About Ghost Fishing Gear in Rhode Island
What is ghost fishing gear?
Ghost fishing gear is fishing equipment that has been lost, abandoned, or discarded in the ocean. It includes nets, traps, ropes, and fishing line that can continue to trap or entangle marine animals after the equipment is no longer in use.
Is ghost fishing gear a problem in Narragansett Bay?
Yes. Surveys and removal projects have identified thousands of abandoned fishing traps in Narragansett Bay. Rhode Island organizations are actively working to locate and recover this equipment.
How long can ghost fishing gear remain in the ocean?
Some fishing gear can remain underwater for decades, depending on its materials and environmental conditions. Synthetic ropes and nets can persist for long periods, while metal traps may gradually corrode.
What animals are affected by ghost fishing gear?
Ghost fishing gear can harm fish, lobsters, crabs, sea turtles, seabirds, and marine mammals. The specific risks depend on the type of equipment and where it becomes lost.
Can volunteers remove ghost fishing gear?
Volunteers can safely collect accessible, loose fishing-related debris during organized shoreline cleanups. However, submerged traps, heavy nets, and potentially active fishing equipment should be handled only by authorized, trained personnel.
What should I do if I find an abandoned lobster trap in Rhode Island?
Do not assume an unattended trap is abandoned. Avoid moving or opening it, document its location if safe, and contact Rhode Island DEM or the appropriate marine authority for guidance.
Protecting Rhode Island's Waters Starts With Awareness
Ghost fishing gear may be difficult to see, but its effects on marine ecosystems can continue for years. From abandoned lobster traps in Narragansett Bay to discarded fishing line along Rhode Island's shoreline, lost fishing equipment is a significant component of the broader marine debris problem. Fortunately, fishermen, researchers, conservation organizations, and community volunteers all have a role in reducing its impact. By improving awareness, supporting responsible fishing practices, and preventing additional debris from entering coastal waters, we can help protect the marine life and coastal environments that make Rhode Island special.
Want to make a difference?
Join an upcoming ORCA volunteer beach cleanup and help keep fishing line, plastics, and other marine debris out of Rhode Island's waters. Whether you're volunteering for the first time or returning for another cleanup, your involvement helps keep the coastline cleaner and healthier.
Explore ORCA's upcoming cleanups, share this article, or support our coastal conservation work through a donation.
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