Madam Speaker, I rise to present a petition from Canadians who are deeply concerned about ghost gear: abandoned, lost or discarded fishing gear, which is among the deadliest sources of plastics pollution.
The petitioners note that ghost gear kills fish, marine mammals, seabirds and turtles; damages habitats; creates microplastics; and even hazards navigation and active harvesters, hurting coastal communities. They point out that dedicated funding for retrieval, prevention, repair and recycling works. It also creates skilled jobs and partnerships with indigenous communities, small-business fishers, harbour authorities and recyclers, especially in rural and remote regions.
Therefore, the petitioners are calling on the federal government to reinstate and expand a permanent multi-year ghost gear fund with streams for rapid retrieval response, prevention and innovation. This would include gear marking, tracking and whale-safe ropeless pilots; end-of-life management, repair and recycling; and community capacity indigenous guardians programs.