TIMES RECORD • November 21, 2024
Buzz Scott and Matt Louis have recovered 607,000 pounds of marine litter from the Gulf of Maine through multiple cruises for OceansWide, a nonprofit organization focused on removing abandoned fishing traps from the ocean floor. They document every bit of bycatch. These divers are working to tackle the state’s “ghost gear” problem. Abandoned fishing gear threatens wildlife, habitats and the economy by killing fish and crustaceans while damaging sensitive ecosystems, such as seagrass beds. To date, OceansWide has retrieved over 9,200 lobster traps from its site in Gouldsboro and will surpass the 4,000 traps in Boothbay Harbor by the end of the season.