Aziz Idris
Ten kilogrammes of “ghost nets” were retrieved at two dive sites during a clean-up held in-conjunction with the International Volunteer Day (IVD) 2020 and Day of Action Brunei recently.
Nineteen divers comprising five from the Department of Fisheries, three from Brunei Tourism and five from Poni Divers, participated in the activities at Rig Reef and Pelong Rock sites.
The nets were discovered by local divers at East Pelong recently and reported to Poni Divers.
Ghost nets are nets that have been discarded and dumped into the ocean which not only continue to trap and kill marine life but also cause damage to underwater habitats and coral reefs.
Globally, tonnes of non-biodegradable nets and lines get lost each year and continue to “ghost” fish for years. Ghost nets account for 10 per cent of the world’s marine litter.
Members of the public are encouraged to report abandoned nets to local authorities.
