An organisation that has set its sights on collecting discarded fishing gear from along the Maltese coast is looking for information from divers, fishermen and boat owners about where that litter is most found.

NGO Żibel is asking maritime stakeholders to fill in a six-question online survey to help it pinpoint key coastal areas which require clean-ups. 

The survey results will inform Żibel’s Project Xibka, which is aimed at collecting Abandoned, Lost, and Otherwise Discarded Fishing Gear (ALDFG).

ALDFG refers to nets, lines, traps, and other recreational or commercial fishing equipment that is abandoned, lost, or otherwise discarded in the marine environment.

This type of discarded equipment poses a significant danger to many forms of marine life, which can get entangled in it. Globally, an estimated 640,000 tonnes of ALDFG end up in the world’s oceans and seas every year. 

Żibel’s survey can be accessed online and will take less than five minutes to complete. All responses are anonymous. 

Project Xibka is in collaboration with Dive Systems - Malta, Raniero's Adventures & Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture. It is funded by Beyond Plastic Med and its funding partners: Fondation Prince Albert II de Monaco, Fondation Tara Océan, Surfrider Foundation Europe, IUCN Centre for Mediterranean Cooperation and MAVA Foundation.

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