Divers and Researchers Gathered to Tackle Ghost Fishing and Restore Seabeds

On 13 April 2026, the second international seminar “Diving with a Purpose”, organized as part of the RestReef project, was held in Dubrovnik, Croatia. During the session, participants explored topics related to seabed ecological pressures, habitat restoration, marine functional connectivity, conservation initiatives linked to diving activities, the environmental impacts of ghost fishing, and the restoration of native oyster reefs. Dorian presented the recent developments in SFI DSolve Research Area 5, focusing on the circularity of bio-based, biodegradable, and non-degradable plastics (Figure 1). In particular, he shared his experience in collecting ghost fishing data for use in Life Cycle Impact Assessment models, based on derelict fishing gear retrieval operations and in situ trials involving scuba diving. Additionally, he highlighted the importance of large-scale implementation of reporting systems for lost fishing gear by fishers, as well as annual retrieval operations such as those conducted by the Norwegian Directorate of Fisheries in Norway (Figure 2). In shallower marine environments, such as the Adriatic Sea, retrieval operations could be carried out by scuba diving clubs (Figure 3).