Walrus escapes abandoned fishing net off Svalbard

A walrus became trapped in an abandoned fishing net during a research expedition off Svalbard in late July, but managed to free itself, NRK reported. Researchers say marine litter is a serious environmental problem in the Arctic.

Researcher Sebastien Descamps of the Norwegian Polar Institute said the walruses initially appeared curious about the net.

The trapped animal began turning and became increasingly entangled, appearing to panic. Descamps said he was convinced it would drown, but the researchers could not intervene because dozens of other walruses, including several with calves, were nearby.

The walrus eventually found a hole in the net and escaped. After the other walruses moved away, the researchers approached by boat and hauled the net out of the water.

“This is a major environmental problem, even in the Arctic,” Descamps said, adding that large amounts of plastic and lost fishing gear drift in the sea.

Marine mammals, polar bears, seabirds and reindeer have also been observed becoming entangled in such equipment. Descamps said the outcome is often fatal.

Biologist Geir Wing Gabrielsen said less sea ice leaves more fjords and beaches exposed farther north, allowing more rubbish to drift ashore. He said increasing amounts of waste are being found on Svalbard’s beaches, where animals can become trapped or ingest small pieces of floating plastic.

Gabrielsen said he often finds pieces of rope that may have been cut off while fishing nets were being repaired. Instead of keeping the plastic waste until it can be taken to shore and disposed of in containers, it is sometimes dumped at sea, he said.

The Norwegian Directorate of Fisheries has worked systematically in recent years to remove abandoned fishing nets and other lost fishing equipment. In 2023, it acquired a dedicated vessel, Fjorgyn, for the work.

In late summer 2025, the directorate recovered 200 abandoned nets in one day in Vesteralen and Senja. It also recently removed 200 nets in Trondelag and along the Helgeland coast. According to the directorate’s figures, it recovered a total of 24,000 metres of rope and 1,687 nets that year.

Olav Lekve, a press officer for the directorate, said discarded rope cuttings have been a known problem for many years and are usually caused by poor routines on deck.

The directorate urges fishermen carrying out net repairs to collect cuttings and other waste. It said several parts of the industry have introduced routines for handling such waste correctly.

Polluting the sea is prohibited under the Pollution Act and the Maritime Safety Act. The rules are administered and enforced by the Norwegian Environment Agency and the Norwegian Maritime Authority.