Illegal Fishing Lesson 3 (Primary)

• Social Studies
• Mathematics
• +4
• 4-6 Grade
• 6th,7th Grade

Introduction

Overfishing is emptying the ocean, with 90% of fisheries already overfished. Illegal fishing is increasing this. In this lesson we will look at some of the fishing practices being and the impacts on the ocean and marine wildlife, and some methods used to stop by-catch.

ILLEGAL, UNREPORTED & UNREGULATED (IUU) FISHING

Lesson 3

By-catch, fishing methods and their impacts.

By 2050 the ocean will be empty

Last Lesson

Detecting IUU fishing.

• AIS & Satellite.
• Patrols.
• Regional cooperation.

Protecting Marine life.

• Laws and regulations.
• Marine reserves.

26% of Global Fishing Catch is By-Catch.

By-catch is anything caught in nets or on lines that fishermen don't want or are not allowed to legally sell.

Why does by-catch happen?

Scale of industrial fishing.

BY-CATCH

Every  year over

300,000 Whales and dolphins

and

250,000 loggerhead and

leatherback sea turtles

die as a result of

commercial fishing operations.

PURSE SEINE FISHING

Each country that borders the ocean has territorial waters, referred to as an Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). 

Within the EEZ countries can establish marine sanctuaries providing protection in ecologically vital areas,

Protecting marine life

Turtle Exclusion Devices(TED)

Measures to deter sea birds:

• Streamers.
• Setting lines at night.

Scale of fishing industry.

Increasing size of fishing nets.

Why do you think
the catch is less, despite
the fleet doubling in size?

TYPES OF FISHING

DRIFTNETS

Driftnet refers to the setting of nets along the top of the ocean. 

A driftnet hangs vertically in the water attached to ropes along the ocean surface with buoys and weights along the bottom.

Target pelagic fish that live in open ocean.

TYPES OF FISHING

GILLNETS

Gillnets are walls of netting set in a straight line, using floats on the surface the length of the lines can be adjusted to set the nets at varying depths.

They are usually set several kilometres below the surface and can be many kilometres long.  They are used for deep living fish like toothfish. 

TYPES OF FISHING

LONG LINES

Long lines are fishing lines that can run for up to 100 km with thousands of baited barbed hooks.

Pelagic long line consists of a main fishing line line, with shorter lines attached containing the hooks.

TYPES OF FISHING

TRAWLING

Bottom trawling - This means the fishermen are dragging the nets along the seafloor scraping up everything in their path. 

TYPES OF FISHING

BLAST FISHING

This is where the poachers use explosives (dynamite) to bomb around reefs to stun the fish and then they dive to collect the fish.

TYPES OF FISHING

POISONING

Sodium cyanide or bleach is used to kill or stun the fish, mainly by individual poachers who dive on reef systems.

TYPES OF FISHING

FISH AGGREGATING DEVICES (FAD)

These devices are designed to lure fish into an area to make it easier to find and catch fish.  The device can attract multiple species of pelagic fish.  

Small fish use the floating debris to hide from larger fish in the open ocean. Larger fish know this so visit the debris in search of an easy meal.

Abandoned, Lost and Discarded fishing gear.

Plastic Ghostnets.

Floating walls of death.

What were 3 fishing methods that cause damage to reef systems?

Name three ways that by-catch can be reduced?

HOW CAN YOU HELP?

What ways do you think you can help protect marine life from IUU activity and becoming by-catch?

WAYS YOU CAN HELP

Help reduce the demand for fish, which will reduce overfishing.

Help stop the use of products, such as shark fins, krill and fish oil tablets, fish in pet food.

Train to become a diver and help to remove ghost nets.

By 2050 the oceans will collapse if we don't act.

90% of global fisheries are overfished.

30% of global commercial fishing catch is taken illegally

26% of global catch is by-catch

www.seashepherdglobal.org