Responsibility Measures

Company's policy should install an integrated management on the reduction of plastic waste (incl. KPIs for implementation), e.g. banning of single use plastics, use of recycled plastic items. So far, in many Baltic Sea aquaculture companies, only a decommissioning plan exists but no waste management plan. The loss of gear and other material at sea remains therefore mainly undiscovered. Put in place various contractual agreements with external contractors to collect used or damaged goods (cardboards and equipment) to be recycled or upgraded. Smaller companies can pay a fee to larger companies to monitor the whole area (area agreements). In parallel to producers, also liability can put on the users of aquaculture products when loosing especially little items. Mark gear to track it back to the owner. Authorities can better enforce penalties for intentionally dumping aquaculture gear and nets into the sea. It also creates an opportunity to return gear that was accidentally lost to the owner for reuse and increases the visibility of gear. Coloured gear like ropes becomes mandatory to help trace the region, the species cultured (or fished) and the local aquaculture site. Tracking can foster the retrieval of high-valued equipment like floating buoys or PE nets using a GPS with satellite (alarm). Tagging lost items can help to track them. This is usually done with buoys and with essential structures (e.g. long floating pipes). This approach should be open for crossborder collaboration to enable an easy exchange of gear waste between countries, also related to joint recycling plants to increase the amount of waste. Use of transponders in coastal aquaculture farms or by small-scale farms. In many aqucaculture facilities their wider adoption would provide an additional method of location to reduce gear loss through misplacement at minimal additional cost. Mark and connect easily lost items to the owner: a) Add a telephone number of the responible municipality b) Mark buoys with the telephone number of the owner c) Add a phone number to call at all beaches that people can bring back the items to farmers or a municipal collection site.