Clean Planet
Clean Planet Ghost
Sea-Changers' grant:
£2106.93
Year:
2023
"We got a call from a fisherman who had lost a fleet of pots last October. He knew the location, so we conducted a survey and successfully recovered 16 pots along with a large tangle of rope. All the pots were returned to him—he saved money, and we likely saved countless marine lives.”
Clean Planet began in 2018/19 as a local litter-picking group in South Gare, North Yorkshire. Since then, it has evolved into a registered charity dedicated to combating one of the marine environment’s most serious threats: discarded fishing equipment, commonly known as ghost gear. While its early efforts focused on clearing debris from the shoreline, the organisation quickly expanded offshore, retrieving abandoned nets, fishing lines, hooks, and weights from the seabed along the North East coast. Ghost gear poses a deadly threat to marine life, causing entanglement, starvation, suffocation, and infection. As it breaks down, it also releases microplastics into the ocean, further polluting the marine ecosystem.
In Spring 2023, Clean Planet received a Sea-Changers grant to fund essential equipment, including lift bags and additional diver training, enabling them to expand their recovery operations. The impact was immediate and significant: the team reported the recovery of 95 lost lobster pots and large volumes of rope—preventing these materials from causing further harm and avoiding landfill disposal. These efforts represent a strong step towards ocean sustainability and circular recovery practices.
This story highlights the value of collaboration between local communities, divers, and fishers in making a difference towards protecting our oceans.
