We’re excited to share that Dive Spear and Sport 1770 is now an official host vessel for a Project ReCon GPS buoy!
Project ReCon is a brilliant collaboration between Tangaroa Blue Foundation and Satlink that tackles one of the ocean’s silent killers, ghost fishing gear. Ghost gear is abandoned or lost fishing equipment that drifts through the ocean, entangling marine wildlife and damaging delicate reef habitats.
Here’s how it works: commercial fishing GPS buoys are donated, refurbished, and fitted with an AMDI identification tag. These buoys are then placed on partner vessels like ours, ready to be deployed when ghost gear is spotted. If the debris is too large or heavy to remove immediately, we attach the buoy and activate its tracking system. This lets Tangaroa Blue and other partners monitor its location until a safe recovery can be arranged.
Not only does this prevent the gear from continuing its deadly drift, but it also gives these high-tech buoys a second life instead of ending up as waste. In some cases, the recovered ghost gear can even be recycled.
For us, this is another way to protect the Southern Great Barrier Reef. Something our team is deeply passionate about. Whether we’re diving, snorkelling, or now deploying our Project ReCon buoy, we’re always looking for ways to be active stewards of the ocean.
Keep an eye out for updates on our social media. We’ll be sharing our Project ReCon adventures and reporting every piece of ghost gear that’s tracked down and removed.
