Basel – The Basel-based recycling company Tide Ocean has entered into a partnership with the environmental organization Sea Shepherd. The common goal is to prevent unused fishing equipment from being discarded at sea.
Basel-based recycling company Tide Ocean has joined the Ghost Network of environmental organization Sea Shepherd, launched on May 18, 2023, according to a media release. The project is dedicated to the recovery of used fishing equipment, including the so-called ghost nets, many of which end up in the sea and cause damage.
European chapters of Sea Shepherd have begun pulling nets, gear and lines, many of which are made of plastic, from the sea. As a preventive measure, activities will be expanded to collect unused equipment directly from fishermen. This material is recycled by Tide Ocean into high-quality plastic granules and returned to the material cycle. In a pilot project, Sea Shepherd and Tide Ocean have already collected 20 tons of nets on the Croatian island of Općina. Part of the proceeds goes to Sea Shepherd and flows into the fleet of the environmental organization.
“This partnership is a great fit for us as a company committed to marine conservation,” Thomas Schori, founder of Tide Ocean, was quoted as saying in the release. “We are excited to share our technological expertise with Sea Shepherd and provide access to our rapidly growing customer base.”
“With the Ghost Network, we are accelerating existing recycling programs,” said Jeroen Botter, Director Partnerships for Sea Shepherd Global. “Tide provides much needed resources and expertise in this area. Thank you for joining us on this journey. We look forward to positive results from Croatia so we can create a blueprint for future regions.” ce/ww
