California Lost Fishing Gear Recovery Project
The California Lost Fishing Gear Recovery Project was launched in July 2005. This project encourages ocean users to report the presence of lost gear, and hires experienced commercial SCUBA divers to remove gear and other marine debris from near-shore waters in a safe and environmentally sensitive manner.
Reporting lost gear in California:
- Submit a report online
- Call 1-888-491-GEAR
If you have any questions about lost fishing gear removal in California, or for copies of our field reports, contact Dr. Kirsten Gilardi at kvgilardi [at] ucdavis [dot] edu.
The California Lost Fishing Gear Recovery Project helps reduce the impact of lost fishing gear and other marine debris on living marine resources and underwater habitat by:
- Retrieving lost fishing gear anywhere on the coast where it is a high priority for removal because of demonstrated or potential impacts to marine wildlife and people, especially in the Channel Islands and off the Southern California coast;
- Working closely with commercial Dungeness crab fishermen to recover lost crab gear off the North and Central Coasts to reduce the hazard it poses to whales and the fishery; and
- Increasing the likelihood that ocean users and enthusiasts will know enough about the project and the issue to serve as our “eyes” on and under the water through outreach.
This project was started and is led by Kirsten Gilardi, DVM, and was based at the Karen C. Drayer Wildlife Health Center at UC Davis for 20 years until Dr. Gilardi retired in January 2026. The project is continuing under Dr. Gilardi’s leadership; she can be reached at [email protected].
The California Lost Fishing Gear Recovery Project is funded by grants made specifically for gear removal in California.
For more information: