Meet Hong Kong's 'ghost net hunter' who is saving the city's sea life

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(CNN)Built up from fishing communities into a major international port, Hong Kong has a rich maritime history stretching back hundreds of years. Beneath the surface of its coastal waters, though, lurks a haunting threat to its marine life.

Ghost nets, or ghost gear, are abandoned or lost fishing equipment. They float through the ocean, trapping and killing wildlife, snagging on boats, and even threatening divers.

One local scuba diver saw the problem and decided to take matters into his own hands.

Harry Chan, a self-proclaimed "ghost net hunter," has spent the last decade hauling abandoned fishing nets out of the ocean. The 68-year-old retired businessman says he is on a mission to clean up Hong Kong's surrounding waters and coastline.

"If we're not going to take care of the environment and the ocean, we aren't going to get another one," says Chan.


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