Abandoned, lost, and Otherwise Discarded Fishing Gear in World’s Inland Fisheries

A recent review article titled " Abandoned, lost, and Otherwise Discarded Fishing Gear in World’s Inland Fisheries" was published in the article "Reviews in Fishery Biology and Fisheries." This comprehensive review delves into the issue of fishing gear left in freshwater systems worldwide, primarily associated with commercial and recreational fishing activities. The article compiles findings from 16 studies conducted globally between 1970 and 2023. While the research highlights the scarcity of studies on this topic, it underscores the importance of conducting such research in every country with freshwater fishing to safeguard against environmental harm and ensure healthy aquatic ecosystems.

The article's first author is Drake Ssempijja from Uganda, a former GRÓ/FTP 2016 student who specialises in fishing techniques. Now, Drake is pursuing a doctoral degree at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth under the guidance of Pingguo He, who is also a co-author of the article. Another co-author is Haraldur A. Einarsson, a fisheries scientist expert in fishing technology affiliated with the Marine and Freshwater Research Institute (MFRI) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).

Drake and Haraldur's collaboration began following Drake's studies at GRÓ/FTP, and their partnership is expected to yield more articles addressing plastic pollution in freshwater areas stemming from fishing gear.

The review article is accessible at https://doi.org/10.1007/s11160-024-09843-5.