ORDER

1. This Original Application was registered suo-motu on the basis of the news item titled “Pollution control board reels in ghost nets”

appearing in the Times of India dated 04.08.2024.

2. The matter concerns the collection and recycling of fishnets, which would otherwise become ghost nets. According to the article, these ghost nets are torn and discarded fishnets that drift underwater, strangle and kill fish, coral reefs, turtles, and other organisms, and then become marine debris.

3. The article explains that the HDPE (high-density polyethylene) or nylon fishnets wear out every six months to a year. If torn, the torn bit goes underwater, strangling fish such as anchovies and prawns. This affects fish reproduction and the business of fishermen. Furthermore, marine mammals such as turtles and whales that come up to breathe can g