source: saltydogboatingnews.com
There are a variety of fishing methods that commercial fishermen use in rivers, streams, reefs, and the open ocean such as bottom trawl, gillnetting, dredges, open nets pens, and ranching. Some are sustainable, but more often than not, fisherman are using unsustainable methods to maximize catch. Monterey Bay Aquarium is one of the most heavily visited aquariums in the United States, with an annual average of 1.8 million visitors and the mission "to inspire the conservation of oceans". In Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch fishing method guide, many different methods of fishing are described.
A few of the most damaging methods of catch are:
- Bottom Trawl--a type fishing net that’s pulled along the seafloor
-fish that are caught by accident (bycatch) are usually dying or already dead by the time
they’re thrown back
they’re thrown back
-the heavy weights and equipment being dragged along the ocean floor cause serious damage
to the sensitive organisms living there
to the sensitive organisms living there
- Gillnetting--curtains of netting that are suspended by floats and weights
-the netting is almost invisible to sea creatures so it is easy for animals like turtles and sharks swim right into it and die there along with the other fish
- Dredges--large, metal-framed baskets that are dragged across the seafloor to collect shellfish
-bycatch levels are extremely high
-metal teeth on the edges of the basket rip up the seafloor and destroy the fragile ecosystem
living there
But that isn’t all. A common misconception is that farm-raised fish is much more environmentally responsible, however, this isn’t always true. Depending on the method used, producing farm-raised fish can actually cause more harm to a natural ecosystem than catching them in the wild.
A few methods of these damaging farm-raising methods are:
But that isn’t all. A common misconception is that farm-raised fish is much more environmentally responsible, however, this isn’t always true. Depending on the method used, producing farm-raised fish can actually cause more harm to a natural ecosystem than catching them in the wild.
A few methods of these damaging farm-raising methods are:
- Open Net Pens/Cages--a cage or pen submerged in the open water of a river, stream, freshwater lake, or offshore coastal area; fish can move freely within the pen and the water flows through the openings in the cage
-waste from the caged fish can pass through the openings in the cage and pollute the natural
habitat of the wild fish
habitat of the wild fish
-diseases and parasites that may have infected the entire population of caged fish due to a
mistake on the part of the farmer can spread rapidly to the wild fish
mistake on the part of the farmer can spread rapidly to the wild fish
-farmed fish can escape from a break in the cage and breed/compete with the wild population
causing damage to the species
- (Tuna) Ranching--top predator fish (usually tuna) are caught as juveniles and put into an open water pen on a farm and fed and “fattened” until they reach maturity and a good size for harvest
-waste, chemicals, and feed can flow out of the cages into the open water and disturb the
environment
-taking the top predator out of its natural environment can threaten the health of the ecosystem
by allowing its common prey to overpopulate and potentially push other species toward a
threatened or endangered status through competition
In my next blogpost, I plan to describe some more environmentally responsible fishing methods that fisherman could potentially use to replace the methods listed in this post.
by allowing its common prey to overpopulate and potentially push other species toward a
threatened or endangered status through competition
In my next blogpost, I plan to describe some more environmentally responsible fishing methods that fisherman could potentially use to replace the methods listed in this post.
