Ghost Nets and Whale Song: The Hidden Costs of Ocean Litter
- Danny Petrie
- Jun 24
- 3 min read
The ocean keeps secrets.
Some of them are beautiful - a whale’s underwater lullaby echoing through the deeps, a shimmer of light caught beneath the surface like a dream trying to surface.
Others are less kind.
Beneath the waves, tangled in shadow, are the remnants of human neglect - fishing lines, discarded nets, plastic ropes. They drift silently, waiting. No malice. No intent. Just damage.
They are called ghost nets, and they haunt the migration paths of whales.
The Silent Killers of the Sea
Ghost nets are fishing gear that has been lost, abandoned, or deliberately dumped into the sea. Made of durable synthetic fibers like nylon, they can remain adrift for decades. Caught in ocean currents, they travel vast distances - invisible, yet deadly.
These nets entangle marine life indiscriminately: turtles, dugongs, dolphins, seabirds, and whales.
Whales, especially. Their immense bodies become accidental anchors for gear never meant for them. Ropes cinch around fins and mouths. Buoys drag down breathing rhythms. A slow wound begins. It doesn’t always end in death - but often, it ends in suffering.
When Song Meets Snare
Entangled whales don’t sing.
Or if they do, the notes are strained. Slowed. Their movements become erratic. Feeding is disrupted. Migration is hindered. Some whales survive with deep scarring - body memory etched permanently into flesh. Others disappear beneath the surface, weighted by our waste.
One study from the International Whaling Commission estimated that over 300,000 cetaceans die globally each year from entanglement in fishing gear.
And here in WA, along Geraldton’s coast, we are not immune.
The recent rescue of a juvenile humpback - tangled in rope, slowly losing mobility - is a reminder that these threats aren’t distant or abstract. They are here. In our waters. On our watch.
What’s Being Done?
Australia has made steps toward managing marine debris:
The WA Marine Debris Project (Tangaroa Blue) monitors and records debris along thousands of kilometres of coastline.
GhostNet Australia (now part of the Australian Marine Debris Initiative) tracks net movement and works with Indigenous rangers to retrieve and recycle nets.
The Department of Fisheries in WA has introduced gear marking and retrieval programs for commercial fishers.
Rescue teams like DBCA’s Whale Entanglement Response Unit are trained to intervene - but only when it’s safe. Most ghost nets never get reported, let alone removed.
What Can We Do?
🔹 Watch and Report
If you see a whale in distress or a ghost net drifting near the coast:
Call the Wildcare Helpline on (08) 9474 9055
Or the WA Whale Stranding Hotline on (08) 9442 5080
Include your location, a description of the object/animal, and photos if possible (from a safe distance).
🔹 Support Cleanups
Join local beach cleanups and report underwater debris via the Australian Marine Debris Initiative Database:https://www.tangaroablue.org
Geraldton often hosts cleanups through schools, volunteer groups, and eco-tourism operators.
🔹 Pressure with Purpose
Support legislative change. Advocate for:
Mandatory retrieval of lost gear by fisheries
Biodegradable or traceable fishing nets
Stricter penalties for illegal dumping
Investment in Indigenous ranger programs
🔹 Consume With Care
Choose seafood from sustainable sources (e.g., MSC certified).
Reduce your reliance on plastic packaging — much of it becomes marine litter.
Support brands and groups working in ocean stewardship.
A World Without Ghosts
Imagine an ocean without drifting nets. Where whales swim unburdened. Where every breach is not a gasp for air, but a dance. Where every note of whale song can travel unbroken.
It’s possible. But only if we stop treating the ocean like a dumping ground and start treating it like kin.
Ghost nets may be silent. But their impact speaks loudly. It says: remember us. It says: you can do better.
Let’s prove it right.
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