Rome - Genoa, 11 November 2025 – Today, a complex underwater operation to remove a massive ghost net from the seabed just outside the port of Genoa was successfully completed. The “ghost gear,” a net weighing 1,100 kilograms, was entangled in the remains of a decommissioned oil platform at depths ranging from 4 to 45 meters.

Inside the net, remains of numerous fish species (such as boga and red damselfish) and corals were found. The intervention, which lasted 10 working days, involved 17 divers from the Carabinieri Diving Centre in Genoa and the Carabinieri Diving Unit, with scientific support from WWF Italy and logistical support from AMIU Genoa – the local waste management service - for the disposal of the recovered material.

The operation is part of the WWF Ghost Gear Project, funded by the Segre Foundation, which aims to map, recover, and prevent the dispersion of abandoned fishing gear in the Mediterranean, while promoting circular economy solutions for disused nets.

“Every net recovered is one less danger for the sea and a concrete sign that collaboration between institutions, the scientific community, and the fishing sector can make a difference,” said Giulia Prato, Head of Marine Programmes at WWF Italy. “Ghost nets are dangerous traps that keep killing for years and release microplastics: clearing the seabed of ghost gear means restoring a healthy habitat for marine life.”

The underwater operations required meticulous technical planning. Carabinieri divers worked in low-visibility conditions, cutting and removing the net in multiple sections, which were then hoisted aboard patrol boats supporting the operation.

“This was a complex intervention with high environmental value,” commented Colonel Samuele Sighinolfi, Commander of the Carabinieri Diving Centre in Genoa. “The synergy with WWF, AMIU Genoa, and GE.AM. (specialized in the disposal of ports’ waste) allowed us to act safely and effectively, demonstrating that protecting the sea also depends on operations like this.”

Once landed at the port, the net was taken over by AMIU Genoa, which will handle its disposal according to marine waste procedures. The recovered material will be destined for energy recovery—the best possible form of valorisation currently available for this type of waste.

“Proper disposal of materials like this is essential to close the loop of sustainable economy,” explained Tiziana Merlino, Head of Digital and Ecological Transition at AMIU Genoa. “Every recovery is not just a symbolic gesture, but a concrete step toward a cleaner sea.”

A SEA FREE FROM GHOST NETS
So-called “ghost gear” represents one of the most serious threats to marine biodiversity: abandoned or lost fishing gear continues to trap fish, turtles, and marine mammals for years after being discarded, slowly degrading into microplastics. Through the WWF Ghost Gear Project, active in Italy and Croatia, dozens of quintals of abandoned fishing gear have already been mapped and recovered, involving fishermen, divers, recycling companies, and local communities.

WWF invites fishers, divers, citizens, and marine operators to join the fight against ghost nets by downloading the WWF Ghost Net Zero app, which allows users to safely report the presence of lost gear.