Scholarlink

<p>Abandoned, lost, or otherwise discarded fishing gear (ALDFG) is a persistent source of marine pollution and ecological disturbance in coastal ecosystems. In the Hawaiian archipelago, oceanographic circulation associated with the North Pacific Subtropical Gyre drives the accumulation of ghost fishing gear that threatens coral reefs and endangered marine species. Concurrently, recent advances in polymer recovery technologies indicate that materials retrieved from marine debris streams may retain functional properties suitable for industrial reuse. This study employs a systematic literature review following the PRISMA methodology to synthesize interdisciplinary evidence on the ecological impacts of ALDFG and the technological feasibility of recycling recovered fishing-gear polymers. Seventeen peer-reviewed studies published between 2015 and 2025 met the inclusion criteria across marine ecology, materials engineering, and circular-economy research. The synthesis yields three principal findings. First, ALDFG generates substantial ecological impacts through entanglement, habitat abrasion, and long-term reef degradation. Second, debris-removal programs directly reduce ecological risks by eliminating physical hazards to marine organisms and habitats. Third, recovered polymers such as polyethylene, polypropylene, and polyamide exhibit strong potential for incorporation into composite materials and infrastructure applications. Although ecological and engineering studies typically address these processes in isolation, few examine them within an integrated system. To address this gap, the review proposes a conceptual Blue Circular Economy framework that links marine debris recovery with material circularity pathways. Within this framework, debris removal delivers immediate biodiversity benefits, while recycling recovered polymers provides additional environmental value through waste diversion and reduced reliance on virgin plastics. Although these linkages are promising, they remain insufficiently tested in integrated field studies; accordingly, the proposed framework should be interpreted as a conceptual synthesis that identifies opportunities for interdisciplinary research on circular marine-debris management, particularly in island regions such as Hawai‘i.</p>

错误：搜索内容不能为空，请输入英文关键词
错误：关键词超出字数限制，请精简
高级检索

Recycling Ghost Gear for Biodiversity Recovery: A Blue Circular Economy Model For Hawai‘i

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年4月2日

查看全文
  • Prisca Ayassamy

摘要

Abandoned, lost, or otherwise discarded fishing gear (ALDFG) is a persistent source of marine pollution and ecological disturbance in coastal ecosystems. In the Hawaiian archipelago, oceanographic circulation associated with the North Pacific Subtropical Gyre drives the accumulation of ghost fishing gear that threatens coral reefs and endangered marine species. Concurrently, recent advances in polymer recovery technologies indicate that materials retrieved from marine debris streams may retain functional properties suitable for industrial reuse. This study employs a systematic literature review following the PRISMA methodology to synthesize interdisciplinary evidence on the ecological impacts of ALDFG and the technological feasibility of recycling recovered fishing-gear polymers. Seventeen peer-reviewed studies published between 2015 and 2025 met the inclusion criteria across marine ecology, materials engineering, and circular-economy research. The synthesis yields three principal findings. First, ALDFG generates substantial ecological impacts through entanglement, habitat abrasion, and long-term reef degradation. Second, debris-removal programs directly reduce ecological risks by eliminating physical hazards to marine organisms and habitats. Third, recovered polymers such as polyethylene, polypropylene, and polyamide exhibit strong potential for incorporation into composite materials and infrastructure applications. Although ecological and engineering studies typically address these processes in isolation, few examine them within an integrated system. To address this gap, the review proposes a conceptual Blue Circular Economy framework that links marine debris recovery with material circularity pathways. Within this framework, debris removal delivers immediate biodiversity benefits, while recycling recovered polymers provides additional environmental value through waste diversion and reduced reliance on virgin plastics. Although these linkages are promising, they remain insufficiently tested in integrated field studies; accordingly, the proposed framework should be interpreted as a conceptual synthesis that identifies opportunities for interdisciplinary research on circular marine-debris management, particularly in island regions such as Hawai‘i.