Abandoned fishing nets littering the ocean are being transformed into COVID19 protective gear in Thailand
The divers were then split into teams that searched different areas of the sea.
"Ghost nets are actually really dangerous because once they fall into the ocean, they can stay afloat for decades," said Ingpat Pakchairatchakul, a senior campaigner at the EJF. As the divers tipped out the bags they had managed to collect, dead crabs and other crustaceans tumbled out along with an old battery.
"Their reception has been great because they have been the ones who have been exposed to the problem of marine plastic first-hand," Mr Pakchairatchakul said. To meet the challenge, campaigners and scientists are now meticulously logging every ghost net they spot in the hope they can find a way to finally rid the sea of the deadly waste.