The Department of Computer Application of Shri Dharmasthala Manjunatheshwara College of Business Management, Mangaluru, organised an awareness programme on “Marine Life and the Problem of Ghost Nets: Threats to Marine Animals and Ecosystems” on the 16 September 2026 at the conference Hall. The programme was organized to sensitise students about marine conservation and the growing threat posed by abandoned, lost and discarded fishing gear.
The programme featured Mr. Venkatesh Moodikeri, Outreach Officer, ReefWatch Marine Conservation, Kundapura, as the Resource Person. He provided an informative overview of marine ecosystems and highlighted the importance of protecting marine biodiversity. He explained how the fishing nets and other fishing gear abandoned or lost in the ocean, can continue to trap and injure marine animals even after they are no longer being actively used for fishing. Mr. Venkatesh discussed the harmful effects of the nets on a variety of marine species, including fish, turtles, dolphins, seabirds and other aquatic organisms. He explained that entanglement can cause injuries, restricted movements of the marine animals. The discarded fishing gear can also damage coral reefs and other marine habitats.
The programme successfully created awareness among students about the silent but significant threat posed by the fishing nets and emphasised the collective responsibility of individuals and communities in protecting marine biodiversity. The programme was coordinated by Mrs. Divya Uchil
