The Environmental Impact of the Fishing Industry, Part 1 of 2

On today’s program, we’ll look at some of the many ways in which this immense fishing industry is destroying the environment. One of the first problems is over-fishing. The removal of large numbers of fish-people species disturbs the natural food web, causing other fish- and bird-persons to starve to death. In addition, drastic reductions in the number of fish-people cause a loss of genetic diversity, making the future of various species even more vulnerable. The industry uses several different methods for fishing: pots and traps, bottom trawling is perhaps the most destructive form of all.

Another devastating environmental effect of the fishing industry is the loss of millions of marine lives due to bycatch. Bycatch refers to the accidental catching of marine-people who the fishing industry does not want, cannot sell, or is not allowed to keep. Bycatch can be fish-people, marine mammal-people, sea turtle-people, etc. Another devastating impact of the fishing industry is ghost fishing. Abandoned or lost fishing gear, such as nets, hooks, lines, ropes, and traps, often remain in the ocean for hundreds of years, and continue to trap and kill all kinds of marine life. Thousands of innocent bird-people also become entangled in abandoned fishing gear, even this magnificent swan-person.

Numerous experts and organizations have warned about the fishing industry's dangerous, ever-growing environmental impact and are calling on governments to protect global oceans. “We know that the oceans are under the most incredible pressure. And we know that it cannot continue to sustain these pressures. We're losing ocean species at twice the rate as we are species on land. We have to reverse this trend. We have to start putting in place the rules that will allow us to treat this global commons with respect, with the attention it deserves.”