Ghost Net Hunters
In the Sea of Marmara, we locate and remove ghost nets — fishing nets that are deliberately or accidentally abandoned in the sea as a result of fishing activities, and which cause the deaths of millions of marine creatures through passive trapping.
The locations of these nets are identified using drone-assisted scans, and professional dives are conducted within diving limits to safely lift the nets from the seabed with the help of lift balloons. To date, DYKD teams have cleared more than 130,000 m² of ghost nets from the seas.
The recovered nets are repurposed within a zero-waste framework across various fields:
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Some are provided to farmers for use as protective coverings in agricultural areas.
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Others are transformed by women producers on the islands into durable mesh bags, contributing to women’s employment. A portion of the revenue from these sales is used to supply food for stray animals.
Since the start of the recycling efforts in 2020, the plastic raw material recovered from ghost nets has been:
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Initially used in the production of household appliance components, and
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As of 2025, utilized in the manufacturing of high-quality sunglasses frames.
Through our work on ghost nets, we have become the only member organization in Turkey of the Global Ghost Gear Initiative (GGGI) — an international community focused on tackling lost fishing gear.
The Ghost Net Hunters Project not only removes these deadly wastes threatening the marine ecosystem but also offers a holistic solution model that transforms them into sources of environmental, social, and economic benefit.
We identify the locations of ghost nets using drones and carry out dives within the safety limits to remove the nets with the help of balloons. To date, we have removed 50,000 square meters of ghost nets.
Some recovered nets are used for protective purposes in cultivated fields, while others are transformed into mesh bags by local women on the island.
This approach promotes sustainable living and supports women's employment with the income generated, and some of the funds are donated to feed stray animals.
As of the end of 2020, we have begun efforts to produce products made from recycled ghost nets.
