We Need Good Divers
Recovering lost fishing gear from the UK’s coastal waters is incredibly rewarding, but it is very different from a standard pleasure dive. Our volunteers operate as a disciplined team in demanding cold-water environments, managing tools and lifting bags while maintaining precise buoyancy.
Because ghost gear recovery involves high task loading and real entanglement hazards, we want to make sure you know exactly what to expect before you sign up.
Ghost Fishing UK pioneered the world’s very first Ghost Gear recovery course and we take great pride in helping dedicated divers join that legacy.
Our Expectations
- Solid Fundamentals: You need to be completely comfortable in low to no visibility, and challenging conditions. You need to have a high standard of buoyancy, trim and diving discipline. We will teach you how to survey and recover, but your basic skills foundation needs to be solid. Ghost Fishing diving is complex and is higher risk than normal recreational diving. To undertake complex tasks, basic diving skills need to be second nature.
- Safety Comes First: Every team member has a specific role. We dive a strict, coordinated plan. Every team member is responsible for the safety of their team. Plan the dive and dive the plan.
- Team Players: Beyond the dive itself, Ghost Fishing projects involve a lot of teamwork on deck, including hauling heavy nets, handling heavy pots, and managing gear on a moving boat. You don’t need to be the strongest person on the boat, but you need to be a team player and help out wherever you can. As we’re run by volunteers, we’re always looking for people to take on day-to-day administration as well.
- Community: Whilst our diving standards are high, we are first and foremost a tight-knit, welcoming group of friends who look out for one another both on the boat and on land. We take our diving seriously, but we don’t take ourselves too seriously – you will find an exceptionally supportive, inclusive community that is always excited to welcome new faces into the family.
Core Prerequisites
Candidates for Ghost Fishing UK must:
Be a minimum of 18 years of age
Have conducted 100 total dives, with 20 in the last 12 months
Hold a Sports Diver / Rescue Diver certification or equivalent
Hold a nitrox certification
Hold any certification completed using a twinset or sidemount configuration.
Have conducted 25 dives in a drysuit
- Meet the skills requirements outlined in the Candidate Preparation Pack
Day One is a chance for you to demonstrate your skills. Our instructors will be looking for control of buoyancy, trim, and propulsion in preparation for learning survey and recovery skills.
You are required to dive a streamlined, standardised twinset or sidemount configuration, as single cylinders and rebreathers are not permitted. For full technical specifications, and more about the diving skills we require, please refer to the Candidate Preparation Pack
How Our Training Works
Ghost Fishing UK is run entirely by volunteers, which means our training doesn’t operate like a commercial diving school.
We run courses dynamically when our volunteers have time and aren’t busy on active recovery operations. Once you complete the initial training in our standards and procedures, you will be invited onto a real project for your final phase of training. In many cases, Ghost Fishing UK instructors give up their annual leave and fund themselves to teach courses.
Because slots depend on volunteer availability, once you have signed up, keep an eye on your emails for notice of training dates.
Training is provided at no cost, but will require a commitment deposit, refunded on course completion.
Want to Get Involved Sooner?
A fantastic way to get onto our radar and see how we operate is to join us as a surface volunteer.
We are always looking for reliable deck hands and support. It is the perfect way to get to know the team, understand how we work and see exactly what we do before you ever get in the water. You can sign up for surface support at any time.
Application Form
While our diving standards are high for the safety and wellbeing of everyone, our team is incredibly welcoming, supportive, and passionate about what we do. If you have the skills and are ready to join a fun, passionate and dedicated community, please fill in our application form. We’d love to have you!