Fish&Click is a mobile application, anonymous and free, which allows everyone to participate in the census of fishing gear waste, at sea or on the shores. These data will allow researchers to map, on the one hand, the pollution related to fishing gear, but also, on the other hand, to work on the development of biodegradable fishing equipment and their recycling.
Why track fishing gear waste?
Lost fishing gear creates several types of problems in the oceans. They will, for example, ghost fish by trapping and killing marine animals without the control of the fisherman.
They can also damage the bottom by crushing or abrasion. Finally, as they are mostly made of plastic, they will generate micro-plastics as they deteriorate, which generates pollution and then impacts the entire food chain.
Fish&Click, how does it work ?
Participating in the project is very simple, you have to start by downloading the mobile application on a phone.
When you are sailing or walking on the beach, when you find a piece of waste or debris of fishing gear, you just have to indicate on the application the type of material it is: net, trap, fishing line, ballast, rope, float, small equipment or others.
Then, you can quantify or specify your findings, then indicate their geographical location and the date you made the observation. You attach a photo of the waste to your report and that's it, it will only take you two minutes!
What do we do with the waste we find?
Reporting gear waste via Fish&Click does not trigger the dispatch of a team to remove the waste. The report is processed in a database as part of the scientific research.
Whenever possible, it is your responsibility to dispose of your reported waste in a tidepool if one is available nearby, or in a trash can.
In navigation, if the waste can create a danger for ships in the area, the maritime authorities should be notified.
Who is behind Fish&Click ?
Fish&Click was developed by Ifremer in the framework of the INDIGO project, INovative fishing Gear for Ocean, a program with French-English funding.
The project ends in 2023. At the end of the project, in addition to the scientific aspects of the research, a selection of photos from the reports made through the Fish&Clicks application will be the subject of a large exhibition.
So get on your phones and play for science and the preservation of our oceans!
