Ghost nets repurposed into eco-friendly beach furniture in Udupi

Udupi: In a creative step towards marine conservation, discarded ghost nets retrieved from the coast of Karnataka, have been repurposed as eco-friendly beach furniture. As part of an ongoing initiative by ReefWatch Marine conservation, in collaboration with Harit by HCL foundation, large-scale ghost net retrieval project, led to the collection of nearly 10 tonnes of abandoned fishing nets from the sea since 2023.Once retrieved, the nets are cleaned, segregated, and processed. However, the biggest challenge was figuring out how to upcycle the nets. Project co-ordinator at ReefWatch Marine conservation, Arpita Dutta said the breakthrough came through a partnership with Goa-based OneEarth foundation. "They experimented with combining different types of ghost nets and other material to develop usable products like benches and tables. They are also exploring designs for lamps," she said.The first set of upcycled furnitures are two benches and a table, which was sent over to Kanchugodu fishing village in Kundapur, which contributed nearly 3.7 tonnes of ghost nets. "The aim is not only to remove ghost nets from the sea, but to also convert them into something meaningful. This transformation helps raise awareness about marine pollution and sheds light on the urgent need for sustainable practices," said Dutta.ReefWatch Outreach officer Venkatesh Sheregar said that ghost nets are a major threat for marine life along the coast, particularly for turtles. This initiative gives marine waste a new purpose and spreads the message of conservation.The furniture was handed over to the village at the Earth Day celebrations held on Tuesday, in the presence of range forest officer Raghavendra Naik. As part of the event, a beach clean-up was also organised where students of BB Hegde First Grade College, Kundapur members of Shri Rama Bhajana Mandira, and local residents collected 184 kg trash from the shore.