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ghost fishing

British  

noun

  1. the continued trapping and killing of marine life by a discarded fishing net floating at sea

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Example Sentences

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The rest are burned, buried, sent out of the country -- or just pile up and contribute to something called ghost fishing.

From Science Daily

"The best estimate I've seen is about 10% of fish stock is trapped and killed by ghost fishing gear," Lantinga says.

From Salon

Between Hawai'i and California, in a stretch of water known as the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, much of the metric tonnage of plastic is comprised of ghost fishing gear.

From Salon

Charity Ghost Fishing UK said the nets were a "huge issue".

From BBC

"When lost fishing gear keeps catching fish after its intended lifespan, it is called ghost fishing."

From BBC