Fishing for Energy Partnership

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Background

Derelict fishing gear is one of the major types of debris impacting the marine environment today. It can continue to fish, known as “ghostfishing,” entangling and potentially killing marine life, smother habitat, and act as a hazard to navigation.

Begun in 2008, Fishing for Energy is a partnership between the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Marine Debris Program, Covanta Energy Corporation, National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF), and Schnitzer Steel, to reduce derelict fishing gear through prevention activities, and working with the fishing community and related industries to find positive solutions to address derelict fishing gear. The partnership provides a place for the fishing community to dispose of old or derelict fishing gear they recover while at sea at no cost. Partnerships are formed with ports, cities, marinas, and fishermen’s cooperatives, as appropriate, to reach out to fishermen, provide disposal facilities and to advertise the project.

The Fishing for Energy partnership provides fishermen a place to dispose of fishing gear free of charge. The program is modeled on a successful multi-partner project in Hawaii. It also provides the fishing community with a means to become more actively involved in addressing existing derelict fishing gear, by giving them a place to dispose of derelict gear they come across while on the water.

Once removed from the environment, the gear will be transported to the nearest Covanta Energy-from-Waste facility. Approximately one ton of derelict nets equal enough electricity to power one home for 25 days.

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