Where do the fishing nets come from in 7vs. Wild?

The third season of 7 vs. Wild is once again truly exciting. And at the same time shocking, because the entire coast of the deserted island is littered with plastic waste. Whether flip-flops, drinking bottles, balls, or dolls – every tide brings more of it ashore. It's no secret, We know we have a garbage problem , but rarely are we so clearly exposed to it. The masses of old fishing nets, in particular, catch our attention, as they prove extremely useful to the contestants on 7 vs. Wild. But where do they actually come from?

The supposedly deserted island of 7 vs. Wild is full of plastic waste. Source : Fritz Meinecke on YouTube, “7 vs. Wild: Panama – Deadly Paradise | Episode 2”, 49:50

Fishing nets replace items in 7 vs. Wild

The participants of 7 vs. Wild were left alone for a week on Isla San José in Panama. They are surrounded by wild and beautiful nature full of spectacular flora and fauna. In short, it's a paradise. Or is it? A closer look reveals: the natural environment is anything but untouched. Plastic waste is everywhere, and numerous washed-up fishing nets bear witness to industrial fishing. And this waste isn't even the worst thing this island has had to endure: In the 1940s, the US military tested chemical weapons on Isla San José—but that's another topic.

The fishing nets on the island are particularly important for 7 vs. Wild. In fact, they change the entire concept of the series: Of all the trash lying around on the island, they are the ones most used to survive the seven days in the wilderness. Whether as rope, for building hammocks, or even to deter crocodiles, the fishing nets prove to be a valuable resource. Thus, the maximum of seven items the participants carry with them become a whole lot more. But why are there so many of them lying around? We'll enlighten you!

Fritz Meinecke only has one item with him: a machete. But thanks to all the fishing nets on the island at 7 vs. Wild, he quickly builds himself a hammock. Source : Fritz Meinecke on YouTube, “7 vs. Wild: Panama – The First Night | Episode 4”, 40:26

Fishing nets on 7 vs. Wild are “ghost nets”

The fishing nets you saw in 7 vs. Wild are so-called "ghost nets." They're called that because they were either lost or intentionally dumped at sea, and then "ghost" through the water until they become tangled in wrecks and reefs or wash up on shore, like the deserted island in 7 vs. Wild.

Why do so many old fishing nets end up in the sea?

There are many possible reasons why ghost nets end up in the ocean. Overall, ghost nets are primarily a symptom of industrial fishing – and often preventable. Here are a few typical causes of ghost nets:

• Environmental influences : Trawl nets can get caught on reefs or wrecks and sometimes break off, and gill nets can also be torn loose in strong storms.

• Lack of waste management: During repair work, broken pieces of net are cut out generously and often simply thrown overboard or lost overboard

• Economic considerations: Disposing of used fishing nets is often expensive, which can make it attractive to simply dump them in the sea.

• Illegal fishing: If an illegal fishing boat is in danger of being caught, the nets may be thrown overboard or cut to remove evidence.

If you want to learn more about how fishing nets become ghost nets, check out our post “ 5 Things You Should Know About Ghost Nets .”

Ghost nets drift through all oceans and threaten marine animals and ecosystems

What do ghost nets mean for the environment?

• Ghost nets are silent killers
  Fishing nets are the deadliest form of plastic waste in our oceans because they are designed for fishing. And even if they lose their purpose as ghost nets, they retain their function – and continue to fish. Countless marine animals become entangled in the nets, are unable to free themselves, and thus die an agonizing death. Ghost nets are also a danger on land – for example, for Germany’s only gannet colony on Heligoland.

• Half of the plastic waste in our oceans is ghost nets
  Many people have never heard of ghost nets, but the problem is enormous: Every year, up to 1 million tons of these former fishing nets end up in our oceans. Studies show that they make up the largest proportion of marine plastic. For example, Great Pacific Garbage Patch , the world's largest plastic vortex, 46% from ghost nets .

• Ghost nets pollute the oceans
  This problem will not end soon. It will take It takes 400 to 600 years for ghost nets to finally decompose into small plastic particles (so-called microplastics), thus polluting the oceans forever and irreversibly.

BRACENET fights against the ghost nets!

The participants of 7 vs. Wild have wonderfully demonstrated how well-suited former fishing nets are for further use. Keyword: Upcycling ! This is our daily business at BRACENET. Together with our partner organizations Healthy Seas , Ghost Diving and Nofir We retrieve them from the water or take them directly from fisheries and clean them in an environmentally friendly way using only water. We then give the nets a new life and upcycle them by hand in our Hamburg factory into new products such as bracelets (our "Bracenets"), key chains, anklets, and much more.

Each of our products contributes to the protection of our oceans. Not only does it mean one less piece of ghost net, but we also regularly donate to Healthy Seas to fund recovery missions and preventive measures, and we support many other projects to protect the oceans and marine animals. For example, we are fighting with Sea Shepherd for the survival of porpoises in the Baltic Sea or support the Mission Earth e. V. by Robert Marc Lehmann .

Learn more about our mission here!

Ghost Diving's divers recover ghost nets from depths of up to 50 meters. Our donations help fund these recovery missions.

7 vs. Wild Bracenet: Bracelet made from former fishing nets

You too can help to free the oceans from the specter of nets – with your 7 vs. Wild Bracenet made from former fishing nets! You can find it now as part of the official “7 vs. Wild” collection in Fritz Meinecke’s online shop .

About Bracenet:

• Upcycled bracelet made from former fishing nets
• Handmade in Hamburg personally for you
• Strong magnetic closure with “7 vs Wild” engraving
• Your contribution to marine conservation

The 7 vs. Wild Bracenet is your contribution to protecting our oceans!

Fishing nets at 7 vs. Wild: A curse for the environment

To recap: The fishing nets on the island from 7 vs. Wild are actually ghost nets that have washed ashore. They are the deadliest plastic waste in our oceans and a huge threat to marine animals. Up to 1 million tons of these former fishing nets end up in our seas every year. While they are a blessing for the participants of 7 vs. Wild as upcycled material, they are a curse for the environment. But with BRACENET and Fritz Meinecke you can help stop the ghost nets!