India, July 16 -- Fishing-related plastic makes up a smaller share of marine litter than land-based waste, yet abandoned nets and fibre-reinforced plastic (FRP) boats cause severe ecological damage.

Scientist Manju Lekshmi explains how ghost fishing kills turtles and whales, why FRP boats are hard to dispose of, and why India urgently needs harbour-level waste units, incentives and clear rules for fisherfolk to manage this growing problem.

Fishing contributes a smaller share of marine plastic than land-based waste, but abandoned gear and discarded fibre-reinforced plastic boats can cause serious harm to marine ecosystems, says Manju Lekshmi, senior scientist at Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR)-Central Institute of Fisherie...