Blackpool’s Ghosts
wrought iron piers at low tide offer up a small example of the devastation ghost net gear is causing in the world’s oceans. below the stately ornate wrought iron piers remnants of fishing nets twist and tie themselves around the rusted structures.
according to sea shepherd’s website 640,000 tonnes of fishing gear ends up in the oceans. discarded gear from fishing vessels is known as ‘ghost gear’ due to its ability to continue to kill marine wildlife in the oceans long after the fishing boats have discarded it.
my interest in what attracts holiday makers to the popular beach destinations along the British coastline brought me to what must be the most famous beach holiday destination, Blackpool.
Blackpool has three piers extending into the Irish Sea, all of them littered with pieces of rope, fishing gut and discarded fishing nets floating in wind and water.