Ghost Diving Spain 2022 Results

The 2022 campaign in Ghost Diving Spain has resulted in very positive figures, even more if we compare them with the previous campaign and the difficulties we have encountered this year such as inflation or lack of supply of Helium. Thanks to the 28 volunteers who have been working actively we have been able to carry out 16 operations in 3 areas of action, with more than 15 hours underwater, more than 500 m2 and 820 kg of plastic and lead have been freed from ghost nets.

The solid training of the divers and the quality of the Ghost Diving procedures have allowed us to increase efficiency with respect to the previous campaign by 30%. The inclusion of the use of Gramper GPS for tagging and net recovery has been an important factor in this improvement, indicating that the proper use of new technologies increases effectiveness. At the end of the campaign we were able to carry out field tests with an ROV with very satisfactory results, if the budget allows us we will have this new incorporation for the 2023 campaign.

We have also expanded the action in the recovery of species, initiating a parallel project of rehabilitation, adaptation and replanting of Posidonia Oceanica from ghost nets. In this way we try to give a new opportunity to those uprooted beams that we find in our work. For in situ reuse, we have perfected the manufacture of larval collectors for Pinna Nobilis with pots and nylon thread.

All these objectives could not have been achieved without our volunteers, collaborators and partners, with whom we have been fortunate to be able to count on:

– Tossa de Mar City Council
– Diputació de Girona
– Healthy Seas
– Kraken Dive