Weaving the Ghost Nets: An Anthropology of Marine Waste, Between Visible and Invisible

Ghost nets haunt the oceans, stark symbols of devastating marine pollution. Abandoned or lost, they drift with the currents, trapping marine life and endangering coral reefs. Yet these striking images are only the tip of the iceberg of a far more insidious pollution: climate-related, toxic, and microplastic. Invisible to the naked eye, these particles invade marine ecosystems, contaminate the food chain, and disrupt natural balances, while also affecting coastal communities whose ways of life depend on healthy oceans.

This event will explore the many dimensions of these scourges, both visible and invisible: environmental, social, and artistic. By bringing together the perspectives of anthropologist Géraldine Le Roux (UBO), a specialist in marine debris, and Henri Bourgeois Costa (Tara Ocean Foundation), an expert in circular economy and plastic pollution, it will examine how these pollutants become objects of study, action, and creation. The Tara Microplastics Mission, led by the Tara Ocean Foundation, will shed light on the scale of this invisible pollution and the scientific challenges it raises.

The discussion will be moderated by Mathieu Vidard, host of La Terre au carré on France Inter.

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At the end of the discussion, you will have the opportunity to ask questions to our guests. The event will conclude with a convivial gathering.