Participa / Convocatoria

Removal of Abandoned Fishing Gear

What is ghost fishing?

Ghost fishing, caused by abandoned or discarded fishing gear, is a silent and deadly threat to marine life. This gear continues to trap fish, sea turtles, sharks, marine mammals, and other species—even years after being abandoned.

The project aims to prevent, identify, and remove this gear from our seas, protecting ecosystems and ensuring the sustainability of fisheries.

What does COBI do?

Since 2009, COBI has worked to reduce and eliminate the impacts of ghost fishing in Mexico through two main lines of action:

1. Prevention and awareness: We provide workshops and training programs for fishing and coastal communities on the impacts of ghost fishing, promoting responsible and sustainable practices.

2. Recovery and removal: We train people in safe techniques to locate and remove abandoned fishing gear, following official protocols and using specialized equipment.

Thanks to this work, we have participated in more than 50 search and recovery campaigns, removing over 5 tons of fishing gear from the ocean and collaborating with 15 community groups in the Mexican Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and Gulf of California.

¿Quiénes participan?

Este esfuerzo es posible gracias a la colaboración de:
1. Comunidades pesqueras como Sirenas de Natividad, Grupo comunitario Bahía de los Ángeles, Héroes del Mar, Grupo de monitoreo submarino de la costa del oriente de Yucatán, buzos comunitarios de Cabo Pulmo, y Buzo Monitoreo y Conservación Bahía de Kino.
2. Sociedades cooperativas como SCPP Buzos y Pescadores de Baja California, SCPP Emancipación y SCPP Punta Abreojos.
3. Organizaciones como WWF, GGGI, Conservación Internacional México y Aqua Ghost Busters.
4. Autoridades gubernamentales y la CONANP.
5. Mujeres, juventudes y autoridades locales comprometidas con la protección marina.

Who participates?

This effort is made possible thanks to the collaboration of:

1. Fishing communities such as Sirenas de Natividad, Grupo Comunitario Bahía de los Ángeles, Héroes del Mar, the Submarine Monitoring Group of the Eastern Coast of Yucatán, community divers of Cabo Pulmo, and Buzo Monitoreo y Conservación Bahía de Kino.

2. Cooperative societies such as SCPP Buzos y Pescadores de Baja California, SCPP Emancipación, and SCPP Punta Abreojos.

3. Organizations including WWF, GGGI, Conservation International Mexico, and Aqua Ghost Busters.

4. Government authorities and CONANP.

5. Women, youth, and local leaders committed to marine protection.

Keep the Ocean Alive

With your donation, you support fishing communities and projects that protect species, restore ecosystems, and help secure a sustainable future for all.

Donate to this solution

List of additional resources:

Proyecto iniciativa global para el retiro de artes de pesca abandonados región Norte América y el Caribe : GGGI Signature Project – North American Net Collection Initiative (NANCI) — The Global Ghost Gear Initiative
Where ‘ghost gear’ haunts the seas, divers unite to clean up
Portal para registro de artes de pesca abandonados GGGI Data Portal
Artículos científicos relacionados: Incluye ligas a publicaciones científicas que respalden la solución, muestren evidencia de su impacto o profundicen en su diseño y gestión.