Ghost Gear funding

On this page

• Program overview
• Purpose of the Ghost Gear Fund
• Program pillars
• Eligibility
• Timelines
• Funding overview
• How to apply

Program overview

The Ghost Gear Fund is a federally funded program led by Fisheries and Oceans Canada, intended to support Canada’s commitment to preventing and mitigating the risk of ghost fishing and encouraging the development of sustainable fishing practices, particularly as it applies to abandoned, lost or otherwise discarded fishing gear (ALDFG, or ‘ghost gear’) domestically and abroad.

To date, the Ghost Gear Fund has funded 144 projects, for a total of $58.4 million.

Purpose of the current call for proposals under the Ghost Gear Fund

The purpose of this call for proposals is to solicit applications for projects across Canada. As part of A Force of Nature: Canada's Strategy to Protect Nature, $15 million over three years is being provided to modernize the location, retrieval and disposal of Ghost Gear. Applicants are encouraged to submit proposals based on the program pillars listed below.

The Ghost Gear Fund continues to encourage the sustainable management of Canada’s fisheries, Indigenous fisheries programs, aquaculture activities, and support commercial fishing harbours to take concrete actions to support ALDFG prevention, retrieval and responsible disposal. The Ghost Gear Fund will also support fish harvesters to develop, acquire and pilot gear technologies to reduce the occurrence of gear loss.

Program pillars

Approved projects in this current call for proposals will be funded based on activities under three programs pillars:

• Abandoned, lost or otherwise discarded fishing gear (ALDFG) retrieval
• Responsible disposal
• Gear acquisition and/or development of innovative technologies

Note: ALDFG retrieval projects will be focused outside of active fishing seasons.

Eligibility

Eligible recipients must fall under one of the following categories where they contribute to research, development, management, conservation, harvesting, protection or promotion of fisheries and oceans resources:

• Not-for-profit and charitable organizations, Canadian or international
• Companies, businesses, organizations, associations, Canadian or international
• Indigenous organizations/communities*
• Recognized research, academic, and educational institutions
• Other levels of government and their agencies or Crown corporations
• Individuals

The Government of Canada has introduced new policies to protect, build and transform Canadian industries through its Buy Canadian Policy. This policy is designed to help make Canada’s economy stronger, more resilient to global shocks, and better able to support Canadian workers and businesses. We encourage proponents to adopt the principles of the Buy Canadian Policy in their proposals for funding. 

*For more details see the Application Guidelines.

Timelines

Applications must be submitted by Monday, June 29, 2026 23:59 PDT to be considered. Single and multi-year projects are being considered. Single year projects must end by March 31 of the fiscal year in which they are signed. Multi-year projects must end by March 31 of the last fiscal year in which they will receive funding.

Funding overview

• Total funding: $15M over 3 fiscal years (2026–2027 to 2028–2029)
• Eligible projects: Single-year and multi-year projects
• Up to $5M will be available in 2026–2027. Due to the limited time available within the fiscal year, and based on an assessment of project proposals, some funding may be reallocated to 2027–2028 and/or 2028–2029 if priority work cannot be adequately addressed in 2026-2027.
• This call for proposals is for projects starting in the 2026–2027 fiscal year. Funding for projects beginning in future years will be reserved and offered through annual calls for proposals.
• Typical Ghost Gear Fund support can be expected in the range of $50,000 to $500,000. The recommended maximum funding is $500,000 per year. Multi-year agreements are subject to the same annual recommended maximum (e.g., Year 1: up to $500,000, Year 2: up to 500,000, Year 3: up to $500,000).
• All funds must be spent by March 31st of the year in which they are allocated and cannot be carried forward. For multi-year projects, funding for each year will be outlined in the contribution agreement.

How to apply

Applications must be submitted using the application form and must meet all of the program’s requirements to be considered for funding. Submit applications by email to DFO.GGFund-Fonddesef.MPO@dfo-mpo.gc.ca. Applications must be submitted by Monday, June 29, 2026 23:59 PDT. See the Application Guidelines for more details.