Ghostfishing

There has been an outcry ( http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2007/oct/04/conservation1) after Dave Peake released disturbing images of sealife (including a cormorant) that had died in a 60 metre long abandoned fishing net in 6 metres of water some 50 metres off Polhawn Cove (Whitsand Bay, Cornwall). It was suggested that the fishing community would be keen to pick up their expensive nets and that it was unusual for a net to be stretched out in this way. It was claimed that some of the diving birds would have suffered a "slow death" but death would not have been all that protracted in such cases. I suspect that much of the comment derives from the products of this example of 'ghostfishing' being so easy to view. It seems likely that this type of event is of regular occurrence in more covert locations. I have recently found numerous pieces of net on the beach between Rhosseli and Llangennith. The RSPB are pushing for a marine bill to go before parliament and suggested that Dave's pictures highlighted the need for legislation.