From the beaches of Kerala to the coastlines of Indonesia, grassroots plastic clean-up movements are proving more effective than top-down regulation alone. Local fishing cooperatives, armed with data collection apps and supported by NGOs, are removing tonnes of ghost gear and single-use plastics every month — while simultaneously documenting the impact on fish populations.

These community-led models offer a scalable blueprint. OceanConf 2026 will feature a community action showcase spotlighting eight such initiatives from across the globe.