Redes Fantasma

Ghost nets: one of the ocean’s most persistent marine pollution problems

A real-world implementation model to reduce ghost nets – preventing, locating and recovering lost fishing gear

What is Redes Fantasma?

A real-world implementation model for reducing ghost fishing gear

Redes Fantasma is an international marine conservation initiative working directly in the ocean to locate, document and remove ghost fishing gear – lost or abandoned fishing nets that continue to trap marine life.

The project brings together research and field recovery operations and is carried out together with divers, fishing communities, scientists and local organisations. Its goal is to better understand the distribution and impacts of ghost gear and to support its safe and responsible retrieval and disposal.

Learn how ghost fishing gear is removed in the field

Our unique approach

Anchor Our unique approach

Our unique approach

What makes Redes Fantasma different is the integration of community knowledge, real-world testing and open technological development within one continuous learning process. Instead of separating research, engineering and field operations, the project develops and validates solutions directly in real operational environments. Coastal communities, divers, fishers and research partners are involved from the beginning, allowing technologies and recovery procedures to be adapted to actual conditions at sea. This approach enables not only the recovery of ghost nets but also the development of practical methods that can be transferred and applied in different coastal regions.

Community-rooted

Coastal collaboration began in 2022 and evolved into partnerships with volunteers, fishers, diving communities and local actors, including Ocean Patrol Peniche. Rotary Clubs in Switzerland and Portugal supported the project in its early phase by providing start-up funding and structural support.

Innovative

A long-standing collaboration between the Urs Endress Foundation and the Ulm University of Applied Sciences, together with other partners, provides a strong network driving research, prototyping and technology-driven solutions across the project.

Sustainable financing

Our financing model remains lean, resilient and community-driven. The project initiator serves as an anchor donor, while volunteer engagement, donated expertise and shared infrastructure keep operational costs low. Sponsors amplify our work – and we amplify theirs – while the children’s book "Lou and the Ghost Nets" supports awareness and provides additional funding. Together, these elements form a scalable, mission-aligned foundation for long-term impact.

What drives us

“We act proactively and pragmatically, every small step counts.

Engaging local actors, fostering innovation and developing adaptable technologies, always with respect for the biosphere. A project that learns continuously.”

Urs Endress

Project Initiator

President of Redes Fantasma Switzerland

Global alignment

The initiative supports UN Sustainable Development Goal 14 (Life Below Water) by promoting the prevention and reduction of marine pollution, particularly plastic waste. At the European level, the initiative aligns with the EU Plastics Strategy and the European Green Deal, which aim to reduce plastic pollution, promote a circular economy, and protect marine and coastal ecosystems. It also contributes to the global Rotary movement End Plastic Soup, aligning local action with an international commitment to reducing plastic pollution.

Innovation

We combine new approaches in technology, governance and community-driven open-source development to build sustainable and scalable value chain models.

Education and awareness

Symposium events, the children’s book "Lou and the Ghost Nets", workshops, clean-ups and school visits strengthen long-term prevention and engagement.

Goverance structure

Governance structure

The Redes Fantasma project is organised to address ghost nets flexibly across their full lifecycle, from prevention and detection to recovery and responsible disposal. It brings practitioners, field partners and technology partners together within a shared framework that enables local decision-making and close collaboration between real-world operations and technical development.

The structure shown below coordinates partner contributions and provides clear alignment between the Board of the Swiss association Redes Fantasma Schweiz, the project lead, and the progress team responsible for regular coordination.

Redes Fantasma Schweiz

Strategy

Donors

Continuity

From early awareness to a coordinated initiative

Redes Fantasma has grown from early awareness and community effort into a coordinated, technology-enabled, internationally supported initiative. Ocean Patrol established the first real-life laboratory on the Atlantic coast in 2021, and the two organizations joined hands in 2024. Volunteer networks expanded across Portugal, Germany and Switzerland, while sponsors and Rotary Clubs helped build momentum.

What began with a failed recovery dive evolved into a structured innovation path: functional location-buoy prototypes, converging engineering and fieldwork, and a deeply rooted community engagement model. The children’s book became a powerful educational tool, reaching schools and families, while growing communication on Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn helped broaden reach and mobilize supporters across regions.

Innovation, fieldwork and community engagement converge

Much of the project, including this website, is built collaboratively. Divers, fishers, students, engineers and supporters contribute photos, footage and stories that shape how the initiative is seen and understood. Partnerships with THU in Ulm and other institutions strengthen the scientific backbone of the project, while community-generated material strengthens its authenticity.

Step by step: Through prototyping, symposia, coastal collaboration, academic research and shared communication, a scalable system to prevent, locate and recover ghost nets is emerging. The project history below traces this journey.

History