New PhD Research Sheds Light on Ghost Fishing and Sustainable Solutions
We congratulate Huu-Luat Do on completing his PhD in Natural Resource Economics at the Norwegian College of Fishery Science, UiT. In this interview, he talks about his research on ghost fishing and shares his motivation for entering the field, his experiences from the PhD journey, the support he has received along the way, and his ambitions for the future.
Huu-Luat Do defending his PhD on Wednesday 1 October 2025
MA in Development Economics Huu-Luat Do at the Norwegian College of Fishery Science (NFH) held his trial lecture and defended his thesis for the PhD degree in Social Science on Wednesday 1 October 2025. The defense was streamed and recorded
Natural gem contaminated by marine plastic litter
For the second year in a row, UiT The Arctic University of Norway has invited students to the master’s course FSK-3624 Marine Litter and Arctic Fisheries: Challenges and Solutions to increase knowledge about marine pollution. This year, 19 students participated in the course, which also included a two-day beach clean-up along Rebbenesøya in Troms.
New study estimates the extent of ghost fishing in the snow crab fishery
A new research article from Dsolve highlights the challenges of ghost fishing in the Barents Sea. The study shows that lost snow crab pots can continue catching crabs for several years, leading to significant ecological and economic losses. Estimates indicate a potential catch loss of up to 70 tons – representing more than 7 million NOK in value at current prices.
Comparison of fishing performance of biodegradable and nylon gillnets with different twine diameter
A new research article from Dsolve evaluates biodegradable gillnets as an alternative to traditional nylon nets in commercial cod fisheries. The study shows that biodegradable nets can perform on par with nylon under certain conditions, while offering potential to reduce ghost fishing and marine plastic pollution. Further long-term testing is recommended to assess material performance.
Dsolve study reveals accumulation of lost fishing gear in the Baltic Sea
A Dsolve research article estimates the amount of abandoned, lost, or discarded fishing gear in the Gulf of Riga and along coastal areas of the Baltic Sea. The findings show that thousands of nets and traps have accumulated over the last decade, underscoring the need for improved monitoring and clean-up operations to reduce ghost fishing and marine pollution.
Dsolve researcher presented new model to tackle ghost fishing at international conference
Huu-Luat Do, PhD candidate in Dsolve, recently presented the paper “A bio-economic model of ghost fishing with an application to the Norwegian snow crab fishery” at the prestigious BIOECON Conference in Cambridge. The study demonstrates how better-designed management rules can reduce the impacts of ghost fishing while improving the profitability of the snow crab fishery.
Escape gaps in snow crab pots can help reduce bycatch
In snow crab fisheries, size selection usually occurs through the mesh of the pots. However, commercial catches often contain small crabs. A new study from Dsolve shows that introducing escape gaps can improve gear performance by allowing more small crabs to escape.
New Dsolve study explores fishers’ willingness to adopt biodegradable fishing gear
Dsolve PhD student Huu-Luat Do has published a research article based on a survey among Norwegian fishers. The study shows that fishers are willing to adopt biodegradable gear when its efficiency matches conventional equipment, but that both collective action and policy support are crucial when efficiency is lower.
Dsolve PhD research presented on Croatian National TV
PhD student Dorian Vodopia was recently featured on Croatian national television. In the report, he shares his journey from his hometown Pula in Croatia to Tromsø, and how he researches the effects of abandoned and lost fishing gear on marine ecosystems. The TV feature has English subtitles.