Ghost net recovery - Project partners,
Tauchsport Pape - In service of the environment
The Baltic Sea Nature & Heritage Protection Association recovers dangerous ghost nets in Germany and throughout Europe. We support the association with media coverage and donations, and of course, with active participation.
Ghost nets are lost by fishermen and drift in the world's oceans. These nets pose a danger to marine animals, contain toxins, and break down into microplastics. They often get caught on shipwrecks, which are then also damaged. Over the past few years, hundreds of tons of these nets have accumulated on the seabed on shipwrecks off the Baltic Sea island of Rügen alone. In some cases, historical wrecks are also irrevocably destroyed.
After clearing nets from wrecks in shallower depths in 2022, a smaller team tackled the deeper wrecks in May 2025. In 10 days, we were able to recover almost 4 tons of these toxic nets from wrecks at a depth of approximately 45 meters. Here is a short video presenting the association's work:
Net recovery from a 19th-century historical wooden wreck:
First ghost net recovery 2022 off the island of Rügen.
From April 28 to May 1, 2022, we returned to Rügen to begin cleaning the next wreck. Almost 30 divers and non-divers wanted to help with this action. We were on the road with 2 inflatable boats, a research vessel with a crane (the Goor II), and the aluminum boat from the Prora dive center. It was an organizational challenge to coordinate the six teams, who were distributed among the four boats, to ensure safe and successful work at all times. Among the participants, we had some experienced individuals as well as many new faces who wanted to try their hand at net cutting for the first time. The teams therefore had to be put together with great care.
The association has further projects planned.
If you would like to support the association's work, please contact us.
Recovery of ghost nets from a wreck off Rügen
Part of the team on the boat 2024
