Impact
From action to measurable change
Innovation
Why innovation is difficult and what we have learned
Tackling ghost-net pollution requires more than goodwill, it demands innovation in an environment where scientific, political, economic and operational barriers collide. At our symposia we demonstrate why progress is challenging: even when solutions exist, scaling them is slow and complex.
Across Europe, policies on lost fishing gear remain fragmented, responsibilities unclear and investment inconsistent. Technologies for prevention, tagging and detection are advancing, but they remain costly, exposed to harsh marine conditions and dependent on close collaboration between fishers, port authorities, NGOs and researchers to validate them in real settings.
Where innovation succeeds
What our symposia clearly reveal, however, is that community-centred innovation works: when fishers, divers, harbour authorities, researchers and NGOs collaborate, progress accelerates. But the road is long. True innovation in the marine environment is iterative, imperfect and slow – which is precisely why Redes Fantasma operates as a long-term, open learning project.
The circular pathway – from prevention and tracking to retrieval and recycling – brings additional barriers: high recovery costs, limited recycling capacity and decades of accumulated waste. Even dedicated volunteer groups struggle with the scale of legacy pollution.
European assessments such as the NETTAG+ initiative highlight an additional bottleneck: many ports lack clear litter-management plans, infrastructure and defined responsibilities. As a result, even when fishing gear is successfully recovered, proper handling, recycling or disposal is often difficult to implement in practice.
Private initiatives like Redes Fantasma, which bundle, coordinate and sustain efforts across communities, technology partners and authorities, play a crucial role in moving the system forward. They help bridge gaps between innovation, regulation and real-world operations – and make progress possible where isolated actions would fail.
Ocean literacy
Lou and the Ghost Nets
Picture book for little ocean protectors
by author Melike Usta
and illustrator Miguel Cardoso
With this picture book, ocean protection from ghost nets is presented in an entertaining and child-friendly way. The book is aimed at preschool and primary school children, as well as their parents and teachers. It explains the threat posed to our oceans by lost fishing nets and presents solutions to the problem.
The book was funded by Redes Fantasma and Rotary Clubs. The revenue goes to the Swiss Redes Fantasma association’s funds.
Available in five languages:
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English
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Portuguese
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German
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French
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Italian
And also as a special edition made from genuine recycled ocean plastic.
Human artists
created me
Ocean Literacy
The ocean is not separate from us. It is one interconnected system that makes life on Earth possible. It shapes our climate and weather, produces much of the oxygen we breathe, and connects every coastline, every river, and every community. Humans and the ocean are inseparably linked, even when we forget it. At the same time, much of the ocean is still poorly understood and largely unprotected. This is why awareness matters. Ocean literacy means helping people understand this connection and feel responsible for it.
At Redes Fantasma, ocean literacy is part of everything we do. During beach clean-ups, we take time to explain where the waste comes from and what its impact is. Through symposia, we bring together fishers, scientists, students, NGOs, and decision-makers to share knowledge and practical solutions. With projects like our children’s book, we reach the next generation early and help them build a natural connection to the ocean. Step by step, we turn concern into understanding, and understanding into action.
Lou and the Ghost Nets brings children, parents, and communities together across borders, using storytelling to build a shared connection to the ocean.
Knowledge and resources
The following resources provide a comprehensive look at the global ghost gear crisis, from scientific research and international initiatives to local conservation efforts in Portugal. We invite you to explore these links to learn more about the challenges our oceans face and the innovative solutions being developed to protect them:
Global Ghost Gear Initiative (GGGI)
Global Ghost Gear Initiative (GGGI): The scale and impact of Ghost Gear
Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research (CIIMAR)
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
WWF Germany: Geisternetze im Mittelmeer – Lifecycle-oriented approaches to prevention and recovery
Statistics and database
Transparent impact: coming soon to our website
In the region of Peniche, where Ocean Patrol is active and home to the second largest fishing harbour in Portugal, we are starting to systematically collect data from our clean-ups and monitoring activities. The collection, measurement and data treatment is done in accordance with Oceano Azul Foundation guideline.
Soon, you will be able to see on our website:
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When and how many clean-ups take place during the year
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How much waste is collected (by weight and volume)
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What types of materials are most commonly found
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How much of this material originates from fishing activity
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How the materials are responsibly handled, sorted and reused by Ocean Patrol Association headquarters
This data will be published in a transparent and easy-to-understand way, showing the real environmental impact behind every activity and every contribution.
This is also where your support becomes visible: donations linked to kilograms of collected waste will be directly connected to this data, so you can see how your contribution translates into real action on the ground. We are building this step by step, together with our community, volunteers, partners and supporters. The goal is simple: more transparency, more trust, and more measurable impact.
This is how the data will be shown: In 2025, 3,700 kg of ocean waste were collected in the Peniche region. On just one stretch of coastline, Consolação Beach, Ocean Patrol carried out five beach clean-ups:
Symposia
3. Symposium 2026
Redes Fantasma and Ocean Conservation
24 April 2026
at the Oceanário in Lisbon
The idea behind the symposia
Why we bring people together
The Redes Fantasma Symposium brings together practitioners, innovators, policymakers, public authorities, manufacturers and funders – including sponsors and strategic partners – to address marine pollution caused by abandoned, lost or discarded fishing gear (ALDFG).
Its purpose goes beyond exchanging knowledge. The symposium is designed to trigger concrete, traceable action, creating shared understanding, responsibility and collaboration across sectors.
Through plenary sessions, panels and workshops, the symposium connects fishers, engineers, port managers, regulators, NGOs and researchers. These formats allow participants to move from fragmented perspectives toward coordinated approaches that work under real-world conditions.
A central focus is the role of volunteer-driven, community-based initiatives such as Ocean Patrol. These initiatives act as local anchors, real-life testing environments and credible models for civic engagement, demonstrating how innovation can be grounded in practice. The symposium follows seven guiding principles:
1. Strengthen dialogue between practice and decision-making
Linking fishers, engineers, port managers and regulators through plenary exchanges, breakout sessions and hands-on workshops
2. Showcase scalable, cost-effective solutions across all four Redes Fantasma workstreams
Prevent, Tag and Find, Retrieve, Dispose responsibly
3. Position Redes Fantasma as a scalable and fundable system
Ready for regional expansion and alliance-building for the next phase
5. Clarify roles and responsibilities
Who acts, who funds, who coordinates – ensuring ownership beyond discussion
6. Inspire participation through real examples
Best practices, stories and demonstrations, including volunteer-led contributions
7. Translate dialogue into follow-up action
Encouraging concrete commitments – local initiatives, organisational engagement or material support – integrated into an evolving collaboration network
Video of the Symposium 2025 in Faro
Impressions of the Symposium 2025 in Faro
