Oceans & CoastsNGO
Clearing Ghost Nets from Masirah Island's Turtle Coast
by Environment Society of Oman (ESO) · HQ 🇴🇲 Oman
0tonsAbandoned fishing gear removed from Masirah Island since 2017as of 2022-07-03 · may be outdated
0tonsMarine debris cleared from Oman's beaches and reefs in 2022as of 2022-12-31 · may be outdated
The Environment Society of Oman, founded in 2004, runs dedicated net clean-ups on Masirah Island ahead of each nesting season to stop discarded fishing gear from entangling and drowning loggerhead sea turtles and their hatchlings. Since 2017, ESO volunteers have coordinated the removal of more than 685 tons of abandoned fishing gear from the island's nesting beaches. The wider marine debris programme extends beyond turtle beaches: in 2022 alone, over 200 volunteers helped ESO clear more than 72 tons of debris from Oman's beaches and coral reefs.