Little orange or blue plastic threads, known as dolly rope, are used by the fishing industry to protect fishing nets from wear and tear. However, these threads often end up in the marine environment, as they rip off during fishing or are lost during maintenance work on board. An undesirable situation, according to fishermen, NGO’s and the government.

http://www.dollyropefree.com/


Een wandeling langs het strand kan leiden tot mooie strandvondsten zoals schelpen en andere bijzondere aanspoelsels. Kijk je van wat dichterbij dan kun je vaak tussen het zand en de schelpen ook oranje of blauwe plastic draadjes ontdekken. Deze draadjes worden ook wel ‘pluis’ genoemd

http://www.vispluisvrij.nl/over_pluis/wat_is_pluis

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Note added at 32 mins (2014-12-11 12:22:37 GMT)
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Pluis is de blauwe of oranje plastic draadjes die in trossen onder het uiteinde van visnetten geplaatst worden om deze netten te beschermen tegen bodemslijtage. Door wrijving met de zeebodem laten uiteindelijk de draadjes los en komen ze in zee terecht.

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Note added at 34 mins (2014-12-11 12:25:06 GMT)
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100% match :-)

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Note added at 44 mins (2014-12-11 12:34:36 GMT)
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Lost at sea

Dolly rope is used to protect fishing nets from wear and tear caused by contact with the seabed during fishing. Annually, European fishermen use an average of 100.000 kilograms of dolly rope. The Dutch fishing industry accounts for the use of 40.000 kilograms. On average it is estimated that 15-25% of the dolly rope is lost as it tears off when it comes into contact with the seabed. On a European scale we’re talking 15.000-25.000 kilograms, which ends up in the sea. Besides dolly rope getting lost at sea, an unknown amount is cast overboard during maintenance work.

Beach-monitoring data provided by the Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure and the Environment confirms this problem. Dolly rope is one of the most common types of marine litter found on our beaches, averaging up to a registered 100 pieces of dolly rope per 100 meters of examined shoreline.

The effects of dolly rope on the marine environment

Dolly rope is not biodegradable as it is made out of polyethylene, better known as plastic. Particles will merely break down into small fragments, but never disappear. These tiny left-over particles are transported by marine currents and easily spread throughout the marine food chains. Fish, but also birds such as gannets, seagulls and fulmars are likely to mistake small pieces of plastic for something edible, and can get entangled in the dolly rope.

http://www.dollyropefree.com/the_problem

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Note added at 46 mins (2014-12-11 12:36:59 GMT)
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Het gevolg hiervan is dat vogels erin verstrikt raken, plastic deeltjes in de voedselketen belanden en de stranden vervuild raken. Zo liggen er op elke 100 meter strand gemiddeld ruim 100 stukjes pluis. Losgeraakte pluisdraadjes zijn daarmee één van de belangrijkste bronnen van plastic afval in de Noordzee.