Hanoi (VNA) – A team of skilled divers removed over 100kg of abandoned fishing nets underwater from Brunei's coastline, local media reported on July 9.
The operation was carried out by Brunei's Fisheries Department and a local non-government organisation, the Reef Check Brunei, and took place in the Pelong Rocks, according to local daily Borneo Bulletin.
According to a spokesperson of the Fisheries Department, the effort not only mitigated the immediate hazards posed to marine life, but also contributed to the broader goal of promoting sustainable practices within the marine ecosystems.
According to the United Nations Environment Programme, lost and abandoned fishing gear is the deadliest form of marine plastic, threatening 66% of marine animals, including all sea turtle species and 50% of seabirds.
To deal with the issue, experts say government and businesses should promote the reuse, recycling and diversification of products and embrace a circular economy./.
