logo
Dozens of birds and fish die in 400m abandoned net off Plymouth

Dozens of birds and fish die in 400m abandoned net off Plymouth

BBC News23-04-2025

Volunteers have spent five hours removing a 1,300ft-long (400m) abandoned fishing net from Plymouth Sound National Marine Park.The net, which had trapped and killed dozens of fish, seabirds, crabs, and lobsters, was found at Drake's Island.Birds are thought to have drowned after getting entangled as they dived for fish trapped in the net, which was retrieved on Monday."It was honestly one of the worst ones we've done in quite a long time," said Luke Bullus of Cornwall-based charity Fathoms Free.
The so-called ghost fishing gear - nets or other fishing gear lost, discarded or abandoned in the sea - was reported to Fathoms Free by concerned members of the public and the Devon and Severn Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority.The team discovered the net was much larger than anticipated, stretching hundreds of metres underwater and entangling various marine life, including shags and an oystercatcher.There were dozens of lobsters, dozens of edible and spider crabs of all sizes, wrasse, cat sharks, bull huss, and countless decomposing fish that were unidentifiable due to the condition they were in, acting as bait to the other marine life in the area.No larger marine mammals such as seals or dolphins were found in the net.
The net's extensive length and entanglement with rocks and kelp made the task particularly challenging, said Mr Bullus.He also admitted it was an emotional as well as physical task for all involved."The birds are quite hard-hitting because they would have drowned as they dived down to fish that they saw tangled in the net," he said.The net's extensive length and entanglement with rocks and kelp "really tested the team's skills, experience, and stamina", he said.More than 500,000 tonnes of fishing gear is estimated to be lost or abandoned every year in the world's seas and oceans, according to a report by conservationists Global Ghost Gear Initiative in 2020.Plymouth Sound is the UK's first national marine park, a project which aims to engage the city's residents and businesses with the marine environment.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Man died trying to save his pet dog from the sea at Polly Joke
Man died trying to save his pet dog from the sea at Polly Joke

BBC News

time7 hours ago

  • BBC News

Man died trying to save his pet dog from the sea at Polly Joke

A man died as he tried to save his pet dog which had fallen over a steep cliff into the sea, an inquest has Conlon, 64, was on holiday with his family in Cornwall when the accident happened at Polly Joke beach near Crantock on the morning of 9 Coroner's Court in Truro heard Mr Conlon had gone out with his dog Monty for a morning walk, while the rest of the family got ready to go to Padstow for Conlon's wife of 43 years, Katrina, told the hearing he was very fit for his age and had a "zest for life, a wicked sense of humour and was the life and soul of the party". The couple from Eccleshall, Staffordshire had been on holiday with their daughter, her partner and their newborn baby daughter, and were regular visitors to inquest heard from a witness, Daniel Beesley, who said he saw Mr Conlon on the coastal path waving his arms and saying his dog had gone off the cliff into the his statement Mr Beesley said he could see Monty swimming in the water and seeming to be "fine" but Mr Conlon took off his walking boots and socks as he edged along loose shale on the Beesley said: "I shouted to him two or three times that it was too dangerous and that he would slip but he ignored me."Mr Conlon squatted down and started to climb down and had moved about 4ft (1.2m) when he slipped and fell, landing on a flat rock before hitting the water, Mr Beesley added Mr Conlon appeared panicked, waving his arms, and trying to scramble to the rocks but was hit by strong waves and swept into a cave. Dog rescued alive Pathologist Dr Tim Bracey said Mr Conlon, who ran his own electrical business, died from cold water immersion and a chest wall injury, and he also had heart inquest was told his family had heard emergency services and a helicopter near their holiday apartment and discovered that it was Mr Conlon who had been recovered from the sea, and efforts to save him had was rescued from the sea and taken to a vet for and Cornwall Police said Mr Conlon's boots and a dog lead were found at the top of the headland path and there were no suspicious said he had tried to slide down the cliff when he fell, and that Monty was rescued alive from the coroner for Cornwall Emma Hillson recorded a conclusion of misadventure.

Minke whale spotted off shores in Cornwall
Minke whale spotted off shores in Cornwall

BBC News

time9 hours ago

  • BBC News

Minke whale spotted off shores in Cornwall

A minke whale has apparently been spotted feeding off the shore by fishing crews in Mermaid Pleasure Trips said the mammal was spotted where hoards of jellyfish had also been seen.A local fisherman said he saw three or four in a pod recently, which indicated that bait fish stocks were in the area were healthy. Skipper Adrian said the whale was seen between Mousehole and Lamorna. He said: "I think we saw it for something like 20, 25 minutes - it was coming up going down, you could see that it was feeding, very nice sight to see them."I had the tip off the earlier morning from a fishing boat friend of mine that said he'd seen them down off the Lizard and they was coming into the bay, so I was keeping my eyes open."

Edinburgh woman pleads to be reunited with Ukrainian husband 'too old to fight'
Edinburgh woman pleads to be reunited with Ukrainian husband 'too old to fight'

Edinburgh Live

time9 hours ago

  • Edinburgh Live

Edinburgh woman pleads to be reunited with Ukrainian husband 'too old to fight'

Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info An Edinburgh woman hopes to be reunited with her husband who was stuck in their war-torn homeland due to his age. Originally from Kherson in Ukraine, Liudmyla Sinelnyk, found refuge in Edinburgh in 2022. But despite her relief, she was forced to leave her husband, Oleksandr, after living together for 37 years. The 57-year-old is hoping she can be reunited with her husband after the pair 'cried in each others arms' when they were separated due ongoing conflict. Liudmyla moved to the first country to provide her a safe home but Oleksandr was forbidden at that time to join her due to rules meaning men under 60 are not able to leave the country. Speaking to Edinburgh Live, she said: "Since the Russian invasion in 2022, I have been living and working in Edinburgh. "I really need help in reuniting with my husband, Oleksandr, who is now 60 years old and currently living in Dnipro —a city that is under constant shelling and great danger. "In order to bring him to safety in Scotland, we need a UK-based sponsor. According to the requirements, the sponsor must have at least one spare room available for inspection by the Home Office. "This room will only be used to meet the application requirements—Oleksandr will live with me, as I have accommodation and a stable job. "Any support will help save my husband's life." Liudmyla arrived in the capital through the Homes for Ukraine programme and is hoping the same can happen for her husband. She added: "When I left my husband, it was very difficult, we cried for a long time in each other's arms, we lived as a couple for 37 years. "At the beginning of the full-scale war in 2022, I arrived in the first country that provided me with protection. "My husband and I were not able to leave together because men under 60 were not allowed to leave the country due to military service." Join Edinburgh Live's Whatsapp Community here and get the latest news sentstraight to your messages. According to the UK Government website, the Homes for Ukraine programme allows UK citizens to offer a home for those who are fleeing Ukraine. Contributors to the programme can be matched with a person or family who have already lived in the UK but needs a new home. Anyone in the UK can register their interest if they have not already been matched with a Ukrainian person or family. Participants are expected to offer a room for at least six months, they should not have a criminal record and if they are not a British citizen, they must have leave to remain in the UK for at least six months. Information about the Homes for Ukraine Programme can be found here.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store