Both the Welsh Government and Defra have made announcements regarding end-of-life fishing gear.

Firstly, the Welsh Government is taking action against marine litter as it becomes the first UK nation to introduce a recycling scheme for fishing gear. A press release has stated that: ‘The first collection, which took place today on Global Recycling Day (March 18), has proved a huge success, with some three tonnes of fishing gear collected for recycling from seven harbours around Wales.

The new scheme will help to bolster Wales’ recycling credentials –Wales has the best household waste recycling record in the UK and the third best in the world.

Recycling bins for used fishing gear have been placed at Swansea, Milford Haven, Fishguard, Cardigan, Conwy, Anglesey and Holyhead harbours. They were filled to the brim with fishing nets, ropes and buoys, which could otherwise have ended up in the sea or in landfill. They will instead be shredded and turned into pellets, before being re-used in kayaks, bodyboards or in street furniture.

Full details can be read here and further coverage can be found here.

Meanwhile, Defra has published research into end-of-life fishing gear. To support England’s Resources & Waste Strategy (2018) commitments, this research builds on the understanding of the current market for fishing and aquaculture gear, defines and analyses policy options, and presents an economic assessment of these options. After completing the England-only research, UK administrations collaborated on an extension to include Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland in order to build a UK-wide evidence base to inform any UK-wide policy intervention.

The project sought to understand the circulation and life cycle of fishing and aquaculture gear used in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. The project involved the collection of quantitative data; fishing gear currently in use, in storage and on order for future use by UK vessels at ports. Research findings will be used to inform future research needs and policy interventions designed to sustainably manage fishing and aquaculture gear at its end of life and work towards a more circular economy.

Further information on the research can be found here.