February 2025: A collaboration between Ports of Jersey, Government, the Jersey Fishermen’s Association and the Jersey Prison Service has introduced a successful recycling scheme for fishing gear which has seen 430 lobster pots, 9,000 metres of nets and 66 tonnes of rope sorted and separated.
Previously fishers were unable to recycle or dump their end-of-life fishing gear as the pots and nets consist of mixed materials. They now have a dedicated area in St Helier Harbour to leave their used fishing gear. It is then collected weekly by one of the collaborators.
The Jersey Prison Service then breaks down the equipment so the individual materials can be recycled, re-used or incinerated. The service has incorporated this work into its regular workstreams, which also include planting vegetables and sorting cardboard for recycling.
Ports of Jersey’s Head of Sustainability and Community Value, Sophie Alexander, says: “We are really proud of this collaboration, and it shows the powerful impact that we can have when we work together as an Island. It’s great that we can protect our marine environment while also returning equipment back to the fishing industry, and we are excited to continue working together this year to develop the scheme and find more ways to reduce waste and improve circularity around the harbour.”
Minister for the Environment, Deputy Steve Luce, said: “It is great to see the scheme extended for another three years as we aim to reduce our waste in response to the climate emergency. Jersey Prison Service continue to do a fantastic job separating fishing gear materials, which have now been recycled or returned to fishing fleet for reuse. I would like to extend my thanks to Ports of Jersey who continue to partner with us on this scheme, helping to ensure its success.”
Some parts of the fishing gear, such as lead line from nets, escape gaps and lobster pot door hooks, are being returned to the fishing industry. Rope is currently being cut to one metre lengths for incineration, but it is hoped a recycling option for this material can be identified in 2025. As more suitable material become available, other recycling possibilities will also be explored.
The £12,000 cost of the scheme has been funded by a combination of £10,000 from Ports of Jersey and £2,000 from Government.