ghost netsaffliction of seas, threatening the marine ecosystem. Long distances left by fishermen of ghost nets Cleared by Serço Ekşiyan, from Istanbul native An amateur diver. Ikshian, 68, has been an avid diver since his youth. He started picking ghosts nets From the bottom of The sea about 16 years ago and since then it has been cleaned up Approx. 29,700 m² (35,500 m² yards) of The nets with The help of Two friends.
Over the years, Ekşiyan found new Uses for the ghost nets. Some are made into shopping bags while others are sent to villages in Eastern Province of Erzincan where they are used as ‘vegetable covers’ for Crop protection against weather Circumstances.
Akshayan, who Boy in Tarabya neighborhood on beaches of Bosphorus says He’s been excited about diving ever since first Diving experience At the age of of 19. “Bottom of was the sea like Then the fish tank. was thriving with Lively and colorful fish.” Recently, pollution has taken hold, is says. “We lost this tub because of of pollutants and overfishing.
When he started to encounter an increasing number of nets tangled in Underwater rocks, he decided to do something about it. He asked his friends Erkan Akbulat and Vulkan Nargi, for Cleaning help up The nets. “I’m diving first and shooting shots of The area. We watch it and we make it plans on cleaning work how Many cans we will do need how big The nets she, etc. ” The team Uses plastic cans to bring nets On the surface, pumping air In the cans they attached to nets.
Akshayan says “net pollution ‘is big problem for seas pointing out That about 640 thousand tons of nets and other fishing materials They are disposed of in the seas via world According to United Nations figures.
Divers prioritize diversion of to cut of nets In shopping bags and sale proceeds of These bags are handed over to the Marine Conservation Society. The rest is cleaned up and sent to the villages in Erzincan is used to cover tomato, pepper and strawberry plantations.
Although the exact numbers are not availableestimated to be 1,500 kilometers (932 mi) of nets lost or left By fishing boats every year. Networks made of plastic derivatives also Contribute to the pollution of the sea with plastic. In 2020 alone, the authorities removed ghost nets from 10 locations via area of 10,000 square meters. in 2019, government All commercial fishing boats clamped operators The authorities must be informed of Type, quantity and coordinates of The nets lost at sea. Experts warn they are a major threat for ecosystem because they make shed or stuck spots uninhabitable for Fish and other sea creatures.
