title: A review of ghost gear entanglement amongst marine mammals, reptiles and elasmobranchs.
abstract: This review focuses on the effect that ghost gear entanglement has on marine megafauna, namely mammals, reptiles and elasmobranchs. A total of 76 publications and other sources of grey literature were assessed, and these highlighted that over 5400 individuals from 40 different species were recorded as entangled in, or associated with, ghost gear. Interestingly, there appeared to be a deficit of research in the Indian, Southern, and Arctic Oceans; and so, we recommend that future studies focus efforts on these areas. Furthermore, studies assessing the effects of ghost gear on elasmobranchs, manatees, and dugongs should also be prioritised, as these groups were underrepresented in the current literature. The development of regional databases, capable of recording entanglement incidences following a minimum global set of criteria, would be a logical next step in order to analyse the effect that ghost gear has on megafauna populations worldwide.
authors.affiliation: Environment Sustainability Research Centre, College of Life and Natural Sciences, University of Derby, UK; Olive Ridley Project, 8 Thornton Avenue, Plymouth, UK.
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Stelfox
authors.affiliation: Olive Ridley Project, 8 Thornton Avenue, Plymouth, UK.
authors.forename: Jillian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hudgins
authors.affiliation: Environment Sustainability Research Centre, College of Life and Natural Sciences, University of Derby, UK.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sweet
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D010872:Caniformia; D002591:Cetacea; D018940:Elasmobranchii; D005398:Fisheries; D008322:Mammals; D012104:Reptiles
keywords: Derelict gear; Entanglement; Ghost fishing; Ghost gear; Ghost net; Megafauna