A ghost net, lying on the seabed off Cala Caterina, in the middle of the protected area of Villasimius, was removed by forest rangers from the town's naval base. The operation was triggered by a diver's report.
With the support and collaboration of divers from a diving association, who provided crucial assistance during the operations , the net was connected to a rope on board the patrol boat “Tore Ena”: the crew then proceeded with its recovery and complete set sail.
The recovered net was over 300 meters long and continued to catch fish that were inevitably destined to die and deteriorate. At the time of recovery , 20 specimens were present, including slipper lobsters, snappers, and other fish species.
The phenomenon of ghost networks
A ghost net, the Forestry Department reports, "is a fishing net abandoned or lost at sea, and represents a significant component of marine litter. The environmental impact is significant: the entangled animals—fish, mollusks, and occasionally marine reptiles—die, causing a 'ghost fishing' effect. The impact depends on several factors: the type of net, its weight and size, the load at the time of abandonment, ocean currents, and the density and vulnerability of the species present in the area.
Collapsed or entangled nets, once freed from their fish load, can revert to their original shape and continue to entangle other species, worsening the impact on biodiversity. In addition to biological damage, nets contribute to plastic pollution: synthetic materials release toxins and degrade into microplastics, which enter the food chain.
(Unioneonline)