Abandoned, lost and otherwise discarded fishing gear in the Caribbean SIDS of Trinidad and Tobago

Abandoned, lost and otherwise discarded fishing gear (ALDFG) is a contributor to marine plastic debris in the Caribbean. This study focused on ALDFG in the Caribbean Small Island Developing State (SIDS) of Trinidad and Tobago, by exploring the problem, its causes and the existing management framework to inform evidence-based interventions. The specific objectives were to estimate the amount of plastic waste entering the coastal/marine environment as a result of ALDFG, identify hotspots of ALDFG accumulation, determine the causes of fishing gear loss, document practices used by fishers to avoid gear loss, explore fishers' perceptions of ALDFG and assess the legislative, regulatory and policy gaps in the management of ALDFG. We find that gillnets, hooks and lines, traps and fish aggregating devices (FADs) used in artisanal fisheries in Trinidad and Tobago can get lost and enter the environment. This lost gear is likely to end up in the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of neighbouring Caribbean States. The causes of gear loss and damage were identified as a combination of conflict-based (high traffic of other vessels, conflict with other gear, vandalism) and environmental (gear snagged on obstructions, damage or towing by large animals, strong currents) factors. A suite of interventions (prevention, mitigation, remediation) is available to address the issue. Given its transboundary nature, national, regional and international action is crucial.