Did you know that the way we fish is destroying our oceans? The global fishing industry is rapidly depleting marine life and damaging delicate ecosystems. But it doesn’t have to be this way! We can take steps to fish more sustainably and protect our oceans. In this article, Vikki Gerrard La Crosse will discuss some of the best ways to reduce your impact on the environment when you go fishing. Let’s work together to keep our oceans healthy for generations to come!

Understand The Basics Of Sustainable Fishing

The first step to fishing sustainably is understanding how our activities impact the environment. Fishing involves catching fish, shellfish, and other marine life from the water. This can be done using various methods, including nets, traps, and spears.

When done sustainably, fishing can be a sustainable activity that doesn’t damage the environment. Unfortunately, many fisheries today are not managed sustainably, says Vikki Gerrard La Crosse. They use harmful fishing practices that destroy marine habitats and kill large numbers of fish, dolphins, turtles, and other animals. These practices include bottom trawling, which drags enormous nets along the seafloor to scoop up fish; long-lining uses lines with thousands of baited hooks that often catch sharks, turtles, and seabirds; and dynamite fishing, which uses explosives to kill fish in a wide area.

These practices not only damage the environment but also result in large amounts of “bycatch.” Bycatch is the term for marine animals accidentally caught by anglers while trying to see other species. For example, long lines intended to catch tuna often kill dolphins, turtles, and sharks. This is because these animals get tangled in the bars and drown.

In addition to being unsustainable, these methods are also very wasteful. Much of the caught fish is thrown away because it isn’t the right type or size. This wasted fish is called “discards.” It’s estimated that around 20% of the fish caught in the world each year are discarded.

This is a massive problem because we are taking more fish from the ocean than can be replaced. This is not sustainable and is damaging our oceans.

There are many other problems with the way we fish today. These include overfishing, which is when too many fish are caught; illegal fishing, which is when fishers break the law; and pirate fishing, which is when anglers don’t follow any rules or regulations.

These problems are having a devastating impact on our oceans. They are causing fish populations to decline, destroying marine habitats, and harming other animals.

Fortunately, there are things we can do to help fix these problems. We can choose to fish more sustainably. This means fishing in a way that doesn’t damage the environment or harm marine life. Let’s look at some of the best ways to do this.

Choose Seafood That’s Been Sustainably Sourced

One of the best things you can do to reduce your impact on the environment is to choose seafood that has been sustainably sourced. Seafood that has been certified as sustainable by an organization like the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) is a good choice. The MSC is an international nonprofit organization that works to promote sustainable fishing practices.

You can also check if the seafood you’re buying is on the “red list” of endangered species. You should avoid eating fish that are on this list. Eating fish that are not on the red list is an excellent way to reduce your impact on the environment.

Reduce Your Consumption Of Seafood

Another way to help reduce your impact on the environment is to reduce your seafood consumption, says Vikki Gerrard La Crosse. This means eating less fish, shellfish, and other marine life. It’s estimated that the average person in the United States consumes about 16 pounds of seafood each year. If everyone in the US reduced their seafood consumption by just one pound, it would save about 500 million pounds of fish from being caught each year.

That’s a lot of fish! And it would make a big difference for our oceans. So, if you’re looking for ways to reduce your impact on the environment, reducing your seafood consumption is an excellent place to start.

Advocating For Sustainable Fisheries Policies

One of the best things you can do to help protect our oceans is to advocate for sustainable fisheries policies. This means changing the way fisheries are managed so that they are more environmentally friendly. You can do this in many ways, such as writing letters to your representatives or supporting organizations that work to promote sustainable fishing practices.

You can also support sustainable fisheries by buying seafood from companies committed to sustainability. Many companies are working hard to make sure their seafood is sourced sustainably. So, when shopping for seafood, look for products that have been certified by the MSC or other similar organizations.

By following these steps, you can help to protect our oceans and ensure that they will be around for generations to come. Sustainable fishing is good for the environment, and it’s also suitable for the people who depend on the ocean for their livelihoods. So let’s all do our part to help ensure our oceans are healthy and thriving.