source: thefisheriesblog.files.wordpress.com
In my last post, I talked about some of the worst fishing methods for the health of the ocean. But fishing isn’t all bad. The oceans can sustain certain fishing methods like midwater trawl, harpooning, traps/pots, jigging, longlining, and trolling. I used Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch and the Active Sustainability website to list and describe just a few of the most important fishing methods.
- Harpooning-- a fisherman throws a long metal spear into the fish and pulls it onto the boat
-the fisherman must identify the fish before throwing the harpoon so bycatch is not an issue
-the fisherman must be skilled to use this method and can only catch one fish at a time so
overfishing isn’t as big of a concern
- Traps/Pots-- a wire cage is baited and sunk to the ocean floor
-smaller fish are able to escape through doors designed for this purpose
-little to no damage is done to the ocean floor
- Jigging-- a grappling hook (the jig) is attached to a long submerged line and yanked around by fishermen to attract fish; often done at night and baited with lights
-it’s a very targeted method of catch so bycatch levels are low
-because it’s usually done at night when seabirds, turtles, and other marine animals aren’t active,
there is little concern that something will get hooked unintentionally
If fishermen stuck to these methods and other like them, we wouldn't have have such a large issue on our hands. However, commercial fisheries are still using unsustainable methods because they are easier, more efficient, and sometimes less costly. So the question still remains: How can we, as the consumers, encourage the fisheries to use more sustainable methods? I will be exploring this question in my next post.
