Denmark’s plan targets 100 tonnes of plastic in ghost nets

Denmark plans to spend 10 million kroner removing abandoned fishing nets from its waters, with the work potentially recovering up to 100 tonnes of plastic and 50 tonnes of lead, DR reports.

The action plan was announced by the Environment Ministry as part of an agreement between the government, its supporting parties, Venstre, the Conservative People’s Party and the Liberal Alliance. The funding will be used both to remove ghost nets and prevent more from being abandoned.

Lost nets can continue trapping fish, whales and seabirds, while releasing plastic and lead into the sea. Many nets contain lead weights to keep them underwater.

A 2021 estimate by DTU Aqua put the number of abandoned or lost fishing nets, or parts of nets, in Danish waters at about 49,000. The ministry’s estimate of what could be removed is based on work in the Little Belt, where the Danish Environmental Protection Agency and the NGO North Nature have removed five tonnes of nets and 2.5 tonnes of lead. Local groups have also cleared ghost nets from the Limfjord, a Danish fjord.

The plan follows a June 2025 fishing agreement. Alternative’s environment and fisheries spokesperson Torsten Gejl said his party had brought the issue to the agenda and welcomed the measures. He said the party wants stricter requirements to prevent nets from being left behind.