Ghost fishing impacts a huge variety of marine life, from commercial fish stocks to whales, turtles, and seabirds. When a creature is caught in ghost gear and dies, it starts to decay, which attracts other marine life to feed on it. These predators or scavengers can then get caught themselves, resulting in a deadly cycle.

Studies show that unless ghost fishing gear is removed from our oceans, some could remain in the marine environment for up to 600 years, catching and killing marine life before the gear eventually breaks down into microplastics. Microplastics are another concern from ghost gear; these tiny plastic granules in water and sediments may have a toxic effect on the food chain that scientists are only beginning to understand. The cumulative long-term effect of ghost fishing gear is likely to be extremely damaging to marine ecosystems, as well as to the people and industries that depend on safe and healthy seas.