The World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA) exists to tackle animal cruelty across the globe. WSPA is currently developing a new international campaign to stop the entanglement of marine animals in ‘ghost’ fishing gear – nets, lines and traps that are abandoned, lost or discarded in our oceans. WSPA has set a campaign goal to save one million marine animals by 2018. This will be done by measurably reducing the volume of ghost gear added to our seas, removing gear that is already there, and rescuing animals already entangled.
At the heart of WSPA’s campaign approach is the formation of a cross-sectoral ghost gear initiative, uniting people and organisations with the knowledge, power and influence to deliver solutions for ghost gear-free seas. The initiative will coordinate and catalyse the expansion and replication of existing effective solutions – such as the one established by Healthy Seas – develop new solutions, and monitor impact at a global scale. WSPA’s aim is to create a dynamic network of stakeholders who join together to protect our seas and save our ocean life.
WSPA and Healthy Seas share a common mission towards ghost gear-free seas. Together we can save the millions of animals that are mutilated and killed every year from entanglement in ghost fishing gear.
Find out more about WSPA’s work by visiting: http://www.wspa-international.org/wspaswork/oceans/marinedebris/symposium/