THE COWAL Peninsula recently played host to a groundbreaking event as Ghost Fishing UK, a specialist marine conservation charity, held its first ever three-day open water training course in the area.
The course, which took place at Toward Seasports Club, was hosted by local dive charter company Wreckspeditions, who have been instrumental in bringing the charity’s efforts to the Clyde.
Ghost Fishing UK focuses on the recovery of lost or abandoned fishing gear— often referred to as ‘ghost gear’—from UK waters. Since partnering with Wreckspeditions, the team has carried out several successful dives in the Firth of Clyde, removing over 100 lost creels and lobster pots, retrieving more than a mile of rope, and rescuing thousands of crabs and prawns that were trapped on the seabed.
These creels were then given back to local fishermen in the area.
There is a common misconception that ghost fishing gear has simply been discarded carelessly by fishermen but this isn’t always the case. Creel fishing is a sustainable form of fishing, and also very hard work for the skippers and crew.
The equipment is expensive and the last thing they want is to lose a fleet of creels worth thousands, plus the catch they would have landed. The fishing gear can be lost as a result of storms, other vessels running across the buoys and snagging ropes in their propellers, or in some cases, other water users cut the buoys clear and the rope descends to the seabed.
Managing director at Wreckspeditions Jason Coles explained: “The goal for running this course here was to get more divers qualified in the North of England and Scottish regions in order to help us on future projects. At the moment, teams are travelling from as far as Falmouth to assist us, so it seemed a logical progression to train local divers in this form of ‘project diving’. “
Based from Toward Seasports Club – SCIO, divers spent three days diving in depths of up to 12m practising skills sending lost creels to the surface and also how to properly survey sites and record how much life is trapped in the equipment.
A spokesperson from Ghost Fishing UK said: “With four instructors we had capacity for 12 students. Our rigorous course prepares the trainees for the challenges of project working underwater in low visibility, in close proximity to lethal entanglement hazards.
The wonderful people at Toward Seasports Club hosted us and the facilities were perfect for a group this large. With a big clubhouse right on the water and slipway access to the clear calm waters. They even offered us the use of their Rib and a coxswain for surface cover on recovery day.
We were also supported by team GFUK divers Jason and Claire at Wreckspeditions with our breathing gas needs and as local fixers for everything we needed to run smoothly.”
The course was a resounding success and there is already discussion about future courses with a waiting list of divers ready to take the plunge into the waters around Dunoon.
The GFUK team are returning in May for a three day project removing more lost fishing equipment and then back again in October, bringing more large groups to stay in the area, whilst cleaning up our waters.
Jason said: “If you ever hear of any fishing gear like creels, rope, fishing line that has been lost and could harm our marine life then you can report this by simply visiting www.ghostfishing.co.uk/ report/
“Its always best to report it sooner than later as it gives us a better chance of saving any critters. The charity is also solely run on fundraising and donations and everyone involved are volunteers including us at Wreckspeditions.”
If you would like to make a donation to this great cause you can fill out the required
