Akar, Shima2024-12-202024-12-202024https://hdl.handle.net/1828/20881Ghost gear, also known as abandoned, lost, or discarded fishing gear (ALDFG), poses a significant environmental threat both in Canada and globally. This problem encompasses fisher-specific gear, including both the methods—such as nets, lines, traps, and pots and the equipment utilized, such as ropes, buoys, and foam floats, which are often abandoned or lost in marine environments. These abandoned items continue to capture and harm marine life long after being discarded. The initial phase of this project focuses on identifying and categorizing various types of debris collected from clean-up efforts along the BC Coast, using data primarily from 2021 and 2022. This phase involves cleaning the dataset for accuracy, analyzing it to identify the most common debris types and their locations, and providing a foundational understanding of debris distribution. Subsequent phases aim to identify the origins of these debris types by examining fisheries operating along the BC Coast and their gear usage through Integrated Fisheries Management Plans (IFMPs). This analysis establishes a link between the debris found and the responsible fisheries, aiding in the development of targeted mitigation strategies for gear used in British Columbia. The final phase centers on identifying the supply chain of fishing gear, including producers, distributors, and retailers. By mapping out these relationships, the project aims to understand how fishing gear reaches the market and propose measures to mitigate the impact of ghost gear, thereby supporting sustainable marine resource management. The findings will inform policy proposals to foster producer responsibility and promote environmental stewardship.enghost gearocean pollutionfishing supply chainbc coast fisheriespolicy reformALDFGSustainability Scholars ProgramOther