A recent study conducted by researchers at the University of the Azores has revealed that Nova Scotia lobster tags are being discovered on the shores of isolated North Atlantic islands located thousands of kilometers away. The study analyzed over 1,500 pieces of plastic fishing gear debris that had washed up on the Portuguese archipelago. It was found that more than a third of the debris originated from Canada, primarily linked to Lobster Fishing Area 34 in southwestern Nova Scotia, while the remaining portion was attributed to U.S. fisheries.
The plastic items, which included rubber bands, trap corners, and escape vents, serve as evidence that plastic waste from the East Coast has emerged as a notable source of ocean pollution, as highlighted in the research. Lead author Christopher Kim Pham stated that a dominant clockwise ocean current transports a greater amount of marine litter to the Azores from North America compared to Europe.
Although the fishing gear debris constitutes only a small fraction of the overall trash washing up on the islands, Pham emphasized that it poses a significant threat to local marine ecosystems. A previous study by Pham indicated that plastic fishing gear was the most prevalent form of litter on the seabed surrounding the archipelago.
Both Pham and Tony Walker, a professor at Dalhousie University specializing in resource and environmental studies, emphasized the challenge of establishing international consensus on addressing transboundary plastic pollution. They warned that without global cooperation, the situation is likely to worsen. Pham’s study recommended that fisheries in Canada and the U.S. adopt preventive actions like redesigning lobster traps, promoting gear recycling, and monitoring the environmental impact of their equipment to tackle the issue effectively.
Pham noted a growing public awareness about plastic pollution and changing habits but stressed the importance of addressing the root cause, which is the production of plastic waste. The Canadian Department of Fisheries and Oceans confirmed that all commercial harvesters are mandated to report lost fishing gear through an online system. Furthermore, the government has allocated an additional $15 million to retrieve ghost gear from Canadian waters, building upon previous efforts that have led to the recovery of over 2,590 tonnes of lost gear since 2020.