Generations of residents have enjoyed the fish and crab caught from the pier in Sidney.
A giant pile of “ghost gear” – abandoned traps, pots, lines and nets – tangling the waters and nestled into the sea bottom serves as a testament to the cut lines
“What we found down there was eye opening. The seafloor beneath the pier is littered with years worth of lost and discarded traps, many of which have been there so long they’re falling apart on the bottom,” said Ryan Swan, one of a handful of divers who took on the challenge. “We removed as much as we could, but we barely scratched the surface of what’s down there.”
The debris can be fatal for fish and marine life, while posing a hazard to other users, including the handful of divers who navigated active crabbing lines while seeking to take out the trash.
“These traps continue to catch and kill marine life long after they’re abandoned, and the tangle of old lines creates serious entanglement hazards for both wildlife and divers,” said Ryan Swan, one of the divers on hand for the cleanup. “Sidney Pier is a particularly challenging site to work in. Visibility is poor, currents are strong, and active crabbers are still throwing new traps overhead while we are diving below. It’s a growing problem that doesn’t get nearly enough attention.”
He draws attention to diving and conservation work through varied social media – @beseaadventures on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and YouTube.
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B.C. is a relatively small fish nationally, with the pacific region accounting for about 1.43 per cent of lost gear reports according to Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) data from 2020-2024. A far cry from Quebec at 41.87% and the Maritimes at 32.92%. But it’s all part of a global problem, with 600,000 to 800,000 metric tonnes of ghost gear entering the world’s oceans according to Fisheries and Oceans Canada.
Studies indicate ghost fishing gear makes up to 70 per cent of all macro-plastics in the ocean by weight. It can also degrade into microplastics in the environment.
As a condition of licence, all commercial harvesters are required to report lost gear to DFO.
That doesn’t let recreational fishers off the moral hook, Swan suggests.
He hopes shining light on the issue will help create awareness, and inspire changes in crabbing habits that can make a real difference. “People may change their perception on wanting to protect the environment,” he said.
Using stronger line, properly weighting traps, and carrying a retrieval hook can help prevent gear loss in the first place. If a trap is lost, reporting it or contacting a diver recovery service can help remove it before it continues “ghost fishing.”
While there may be associated costs with adding protections or hiring a diver to retrieve lost gear, Snow feels the cost is greater leaving it behind.
“That really comes with, I think the cost of throwing stuff down in the water. You need to be responsible for it.”
Ghost gear sightings can also be reported through DFO.
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