|
Conservationists, local fishermen, and South
Africa's Department of Environment Affairs have
joined in support against gill or drift nets, mainly
used by Asian fishing vessels, which kill thousands,
possibly millions, of sea creatures each year,
including dolphins, whales, seals, seabirds and
turtles. These nets are also believed to kill huge
numbers of fish which can mean the destruction of
fishing industries and the loss of jobs.
Called drift nets because fishing boats leave them
to drift in the ocean to catch more fish more easily,
they are also known as gill nets because fish are
caught and trapped by their gills. Local fishermen
are particularly upset because the nets often catch
younger fish such as tuna which live nearer the
surface where the nets are used.
WALLS OF DEATH
The nets are used mainly by fishing fleets from
Japan, Taiwan and South Korea, to catch squid, salmon
and tuna in the North and South Pacific, Indian and
Atlantic Oceans. Italian and Spanish ships are now
also using this extremely destructive fishing method
in the Mediterranean. Nicknamed "walls of
death" these nets are made of a very strong
monofilament (single strand) nylon mesh, and each net
is between 8 - 12 metres deep and may be as long as
65 km, although usually between 32 - 40 km. The nets
are often put into the sea at night, where they drift
with the current, catching and killing anything that
gets in their way, like huge underwater spiders'
webs. This method of fishing is extremely wasteful.
Not only is an estimated 40% to 50% of each catch
lost when the net is hauled in, but uncounted numbers
of fish are injured in the net and may escape only to
die later.
These nets also catch many dolphins, whales,
seals, turtles and seabirds which cannot easily see
the almost invisible netting. In a study by
Greenpeace, one dolphin will be drowned for every 9
tuna caught by this method in the South Pacific.
GHOST NETS
During fishing operations huge pieces of net often
break away and continue killing, until eventually it
is believed the nets sink with the weight of the dead
fish, dolphins, whales, turtles and other creatures
that Japanese fishing boats lose. These are known as
"ghost nets". Japan estimates 17km of gill
nets a night during the North Pacific drift net
fishing season. More than 1 500 fishing vessels are
using Gill or drift nets in the Pacific, Atlantic and
Indian oceans. Many of these nets are being used in
important feeding and breeding areas for whales, as
well as across migration routes.
DID
YOU KNOW?
It is estimated that more
than 85 000 marine mammals - including 70 000
dolphins and porpoises and 14 000 seals - are
drowned annually in the nets of the North
Pacific drift net fishing vessels.
A further 750 000 seabirds
are also believed to perish each year.
WHAT
CAN YOU DO?
Support the
Dolphin Action & Protection Group's
campaign
Ensure that
when you buy tuna it is marked with a
"dolphin friendly" logo
Write to the
Japanese and Taiwanese consulates (1910 Main
Tower, Standard Bank Center, Heerengracht,
Cape Town, 8001) as well as to the South
African Department of Environmental Affairs
(Private Bag X447, Pretoria, 2000) as well as
local fishing companies and express your
concern about these destructive fishing
methods. Ask what they are doing to stop the
use of drift nets.
Always pick up
pieces of rubbish along beaches and rivers,
especially fishing line, which can also trap
and kill marine creatures.
CONSERVATION ACTION
In July 1989 South Africa followed the lead of
countries such as Australia and New Zealand which
have banned drift net fishing in their oceans. In
December 1989 the United Nations recommended that all
drift/gill net fishing be phased out by 1992.
In a resolution to the International Whaling
Commission (IWC) meeting in July 1990, South Africa
co-sponsored a resolution expressing concern about
gill net fishing.
It is recognised that the way in which much of the
tuna fish sold in recent years was caught led to the
deaths of thousands of dolphins. Protests by people
buying tuna fish in the United States and other
countries has forced tuna fishermen to stop using
these methods.
USEFUL ADDRESS
Dolphin
Action & Protection Group, P.O. Box 22227,
Fish Hoek 7975.
|
