A systematic solution for mitigating the problem of derelict fishing gear

In this article, a systematic solution for mitigating the DFG (Derelict Fishing Gear) problem has been presented using an example of a DFG wreck operation. The planning process has been described in detail and the influence of ghost net recovery on the marine environment has been shown. The research was performed on selected wrecks found in the Polish economic zone and the method consisted of scanning the sea bottom using 2D sonar. Based on the information obtained by the sonar, the ghost nets were later retrieved using a creeper (in cases where the ghost nets were lying on the sea bottom) or with the help of divers (in cases where the nets were sitting on the wrecks). The results have shown that, taking into consideration the research area of the Baltic Sea, the presented method will be satisfactory in most cases.