Across India’s west coast, lost fishing gear known as “ghost gear” has become a significant source of marine pollution. India operates one of the world’s largest marine fishing sectors, supporting an estimated 14.5 million livelihoods along more than 7,500 kilometres of coastline. Discarded fishing gear lines the docks at Thoppumpady fishing harbour in Kochi. Once lost, fishing gear continues to function, whether it drifts through the water column or settles on the seabed. Deshpande echoed those points, arguing that to truly address ghost gear, India must treat it as a systemic fisheries management issue.