03/27/23 Time to End the Fishing Era!
Animal Friends Croatia warns of the devastating effects of fishing on our planet
- A fishing ban to help ocean recovery, improve biodiversity and human health, and for a cleaner planet
The World Day for the End of Fishing is celebrated on the last Saturday in March to educate the public on the devastating effects of fishing on our planet’s health, as well as the ultimate goal – a worldwide fishing ban! On this occasion, Animal Friends Croatia reminds us that 90% of the large fish stock has been depleted over the last 50 years and it is estimated that, should we continue with this cruel practice, by 2050 there will be no more fish left in our oceans.
“Fishing is depleting our oceans and threatening the survival of various marine organisms such as sea mammals, fish, starfish, crustaceans, sea cucumbers, corals, sea turtles, squids, and other marine life, leaving the marine life endangered and facing extinction. The rich biodiversity of oceans and rivers is particularly important for the healthy functioning of natural processes that take place in oceans and freshwater waters, having a huge impact on the life of humans”, stated Emanuela Poturica from Animal Friends Croatia.
She added that the organization advocates a bottom-trawling ban in Croatia, the most destructive fishing method that has caused immense and irreparable damage to the Adriatic Sea. Bottom-trawling severely impoverishes fish stock, removes seaweeds, and devastates coral reefs, algae submarine forests and other marine habitats. This is in addition to the physical damage bottom-trawling causes to the entire marine ecosystem. Between 50% and 80% of the European coastal belt is trawled regularly. The Adriatic Sea is one of the most affected areas - as much as 80 % of the seabed has been destroyed by bottom-trawling!
“Animals living on the seafloor or feeding close to it end up entangled in trawler nets in which the majority die due to the lack of oxygen. The fast pulling of nets to the surface causes their swim bladders to burst due to a sudden change in pressure, causing a painful death for the fish. According to research by the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre, over the last 50 years, 41% of sea mammals, and 34% of the total fish stock have been depleted in the Mediterranean Sea. Of those, over 50% were losses recorded in the Adriatic Sea,” warns Emanuela Poturica. She explains that Animal Friends Croatia believes it is our common interest to preserve our seas and oceans, and that we should not delay any concrete action that may help us save whatever there is left to be saved. A notable example is the recent ban on destructive and lethal drift nets that catch, injure, entangle, or kill thousands of marine animals in the USA every year.
“Educating the public on the issues of fishing and soliciting their support of the bottom-trawling ban could help the Adriatic Sea become biodiverse again. Every person counts as all our actions impact the world we live in. Whether those actions have a positive or a negative effect depends on every individual. The best way to help ourselves, the animals and nature around us are to stop eating fish and other animals. This would help reduce the negative impact of climate change, the suffering and the death of billions of animals, and it would lead to higher biodiversity of our planet that we are dependent on,” conclude Animal Friends Croatia. The group invites the public to see the shocking documentary Seaspiracy and to visit www.zabranimo-koce.net to sign the petition for a bottom-trawling ban in Croatia.
![World Day for the End of Fishing [ 1.42 Mb ]](/data/image_3_16159.png "World Day for the End of Fishing [ 1.42 Mb ]")
