Microbial remediation of plastic pollutants generated from discarded and abandoned marine fishing nets

A wide range of plastic debris dumped into the ocean has recently gained concern of the marine ecosystems. Discarded and abandoned fishing nets, also known as ghost nets, are lost in the marine water and has no commercial significance. Additionally these fishing gear left out in the aquatic environment pose a severe risk to marine environment. Fishing nets, made up of synthetic plastic materials, are a major source of marine pollutants and act as a vector for transporting other toxic chemical pollutants. Approximately 10% of total marine plastic pollutants come from commercial fishing nets, and each year up to 1 million tons of fishing gear are discarded into the marine ecosystem. It can be estimated that by 2050 the amount will be doubled, adding 15–20 million metric tons of discarded lost fishing gears into ocean. The gradual and increased deposition of plastic pollutants in aquatic habitat also affects the whole food chain. Recently, microbial degradation of marine plastics has focussed the eyes of researchers and a lot of investigations on potential microbial degraders are under process. Microorganisms have developed the ability to grow under plastic stress condition and adapt to alter metabolic pathways by which they can directly feed upon marine plastic pollutants as sole carbon source. The present review compiles information on marine plastic pollution from discarded and abandoned fishing nets, their effect on aquatic ecosystems, marine animals and food chain and discusses microbial remediation strategies to control this pollution, especially and their implications in the marine ecosystems.