NGO’s and business launch major initiative for cleaning the seas

Aquafil, ECNC Land & Sea Group and Star Sock have established the ‘Healthy Seas, a Journey from Waste to Wear’ initiative.

The main objective of Healthy Seas is to remove waste, specifically fishing nets, and other marine litter from the seas and oceans for the purpose of creating healthier seas.

Recovered fishing nets are too often dumped into landfills or burned, but as part of the Healthy Seas they will be transformed and regenerated into ECONYL® yarn, a high-quality, raw material used to create new products such as socks, swimwear, underwear, carpets, etc.

The dumping of fishing nets is an open wound in our ecosystem. According to a joint report by FAO and UNEP, there are approximately 640,000 tons of abandoned fishing nets in the oceans, accounting for one-tenth of all marine litter. These nets remain in the marine ecosystem for hundreds of years and are responsible for accidental capture of dolphins, turtles, marine birds and more which often die once trapped.

The initiative will be launched in three main phases and a detailed description of the action plan will be made public before the end of April 2013.

The first phase will be implemented in three pilot regions in Europe: the North Sea (Netherlands and Belgium), the Adriatic Sea (Italy, Slovenia and Croatia) and the Mediterranean Sea (Spain). The completion of this pilot phase will allow the founding members to identify the most efficient practices for future expansion.

The second phase will identify effective procedures to discourage the abandonment of fishing nets at sea. It will encourage and facilitate responsible handling of fishing nets at the end of their life cycle allowing for recovery and regeneration into new products. The expansion into other areas will be part of this second phase.

During the third phase constructive proposals will be developed concerning implementable actions. These will be submitted to governments and legislators to ensure that Healthy Seas will deliver long-term results and maximize public awareness.

A ‘Healthy Seas Fund’ will be established with a focus on raising awareness about the importance of healthy seas, removal of abandoned fishing nets from oceans and seas and financing of local coastal and marine projects that support the objectives of Healthy Seas.

In addition to the original three founders, the initiative will be open to other business and NGO partners. Local communities, experts and operators will be involved in order to create best practices that will improve the recovery and regeneration of fishing nets. Events and training courses will be held to promote the cause and raise awareness about the preservation of our seas’ environment and health.