A View to Remember: The Hidden Cost of Fishing Activities

A mysteriuous scene unfolds as a few eagle rays gracefully sink to the seabed, illuminated by sunbeams piercing the water, while a fishing boat departs, leaving a desolate seascape in its wake.

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Summary

The stark and desolate reality of bycatch, tearing apart a once pristine environment of the vibrant life and essence that typically thrives in this diverse and abundant ecosystem.  Discover how a beautiful adventure transformed into a gripping investigation, revealing how human impacts, even on the smallest scales, can profoundly affect our oceans.

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It was one of my regular morning snorkelling trips in the Area Naturale Marina Protetta di Capo Carbonara[1]. We anchored at the Madonna, my favourite snorkelling spot despite what others thought of it. I leaped into the water, with the other water enthusiasts following, and we began our hour-long exploration tour above the statue and around the promontories. There were many boats at the Madonna at that time of the day, which was not uncommon during the high season. The pescaturismo[2] was also there, a presence we encountered more and more frequently during our expeditions.

We had just begun moving toward the deeper blue when something quite eerie and unsettling started to unfold before my eyes. A white object was swaying in the depths. The water was very clear, and the strong sun rays, which could easily penetrate through the water particles as the sun was gradually rising in the sky, disturbed the visibility. At first, I thought it was a white plastic bag sinking, as I had seen litter in the water before, especially in these tourist-frequented areas. But then I quickly realised that a plastic bag is too light to sink so rapidly unless the tides and currents were stagnant. I began to approach more quickly, signalling my group to pause for a moment but to keep an eye on me as I freedived to assess the situation. I felt something wasn't right. We were above approximately ten meters of deep sea. As I freedived five meters down, I started to realise that what I initially assumed to be a sinking plastic bag was actually a small eagle ray, twisting and turning as it sank majestically to the seafloor. Due to the twisting and turning and the blurred view from the sun rays, the dorsal dark part was indistinguishable from the deep blue water colours. As I tried to get a closer look, I realised I was running out of air. While ascending and almost directly above the sinking eagle ray, I noticed other small eagle rays sinking but deeper in the sea. As I was reaching the surface and looking up, I saw a boat’s wake as it sailed away. The pescaturismo was departing.

Madonna del Naufrago (Madonna of the Castaway). Adapted for context. The actual statue appears quite different and more unique.

By this time, my focus had been completely overtaken by this situation. Once emerged from the water, I explained my concerns and, prompted by what I continued to observe, I extended the snorkelling excursion in that area for a while. While swimming, I noticed two eagle rays on the seafloor. One laid upside down, seemingly lifeless, while the other seemed to be resting on the sand. It soon became clear to me that the second one was dead as well. A few fish were cautiously inspecting it without any reaction from the eagle ray (a startle would be expected due to its well-developed sensors). With no response, the fish soon began to take bites of the eagle ray. The odor from the dead eagle ray (yes, fish sense smell underwater!)[3] or visual cues might have attracted the fish (and other marine organisms down the line), which are often opportunistic predators or scavengers[4]. As I swam away from this unfortunate scene, the feeding frenzy grew as more fish joined in, with pieces of the eagle ray starting to decompose in the water column.

It's truly remarkable how much detail the mind can capture in a fleeting moment. As five lifeless common eagle rays (potentially Myliobatis aquila) sank to or lay on the seafloor, merging into the cycle of marine detritus, I found myself overwhelmed by a tumult of emotions—an intense swirl of anger, pain, and confusion that felt utterly baffling and impossible to silence.

And then it struck me. The pescaturismo sailing away. The rays still sinking through the seawater. The drag marks[5]. The fishing nets. This was all bycatch. Bycatch is a term used for fish or other marine animals that are unintentionally caught while fishing for a targeted species. Bycatch is also considered when animals get accidentally entangled in the fishing equipment. The consequence of all this was discarding the undesired rays, injured or already killed in the process[6], back into the water and left to their faith.

Realising all this was profoundly infuriating. The scale of bycatch occurring globally is staggering, with estimates from 2010 to 2014 soaring to an alarming 9.1 million tonnes (that's a shocking 10% of annual catches!)[7] that are recklessly discarded, resulting in the suffering of all kinds of marine species including endangered, threatened, and protected species. In large-scale fisheries, even marine mammals, turtles and birds fall victim to this unintended capture, highlighting the urgent need for reform and responsible fishing practices globally.

This unwanted catch occurs due to inadequate fisheries management, inappropriate fishing methods, and failure to adhere to established regulations. On this particular occasion, the fishermen might have pulled the net too close to the seabed, an action that could be illegal or unauthorised within the Marine Protected Area (MPA). Since rays predominantly inhabit areas near the seafloor for feeding, resting, or hiding in the sand to evade predators, they were likely caught accidentally during this process. This practice is unlikely to be permitted, as one of the protected habitats within the Capo Carbonara MPA is the Praterie di Posidonia oceanica (beds of Posidonia oceanica)[8] and any form of physical disturbance to it is forbidden.

https://video.wixstatic.com/video/d64395_75cc25ab922f4b05b6be9ca7017f316d/1080p/mp4/file.mp4

Example of a common stingray foraging on the seabed. Rays, also known as 'batoids,' are cartilaginous fish[9] that use the Earth's electric field and their sense of smell to locate prey. As shown in this video, they use their pectoral fins to stir the sand and, combined with suction from their mouthparts, they can excavate through molluscs, and vacuum in crustaceans or small fish[10]. They don't possess teeth. P.S.: Avoid resting on the seabed like this diver (me!). It's best practice to "float" to prevent harming marine life. This skill improves over time with more experience and dives, enhancing your buoyancy. Note: Video captured during another diving trip in Tenerife. Credit: Diving Atlantis Tenerife.

As anticipated, upon returning to the boat, the first thing I brought up with the capitano[11] as I boarded was this unfortunate encounter. We agreed to report it to the MPA office right away, with the hope that it would be handled appropriately and prevented in the future.

On a similar note, sadly, the Black Sea is also a victim of bycatch. Harbour porpoises are the most affected, followed by common and bottlenose dolphins, which are often ensnared in fishing nets aimed at turbot fishing[12]. These endemic[13] small cetaceans are currently facing population declines. Nonetheless, local marine Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), along with initiatives from the European Union and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), are striving to address this problem. Their efforts involve collaborating with fishing communities to understand their current methods and develop new sustainable approaches to safeguard these vulnerable species and promote marine conservation.

Even though we may feel sad and helpless in these situations, it's crucial to acknowledge that scientifically proven methods exist to prevent such errors. Extensive research is underway worldwide to tackle the problem of bycatch. The FAO plays a key role in this field, offering detailed guidelines on bycatch management and strategies to minimize discards[14]. Raising ocean awareness and fostering ocean literacy, particularly within the fishing industry, are critical for equipping individuals with the knowledge and comprehension needed to recognise the consequences of their actions. This awareness will ultimately facilitate cooperation and the adoption of sustainable fishing practices.

How did you find this story? Please comment or feedback in the comment section below. I would love to hear your thoughts!

🥽🐚🐋

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What can you do?

Bycatch occurs at sea, so our efforts on land are unfortunately limited. However, I've put together a list of resources (not exhaustive) where you can learn more about the issue. It's also worth noting that fishing activities can be monitored at sea, and certifications like the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) are awarded to fish products, allowing consumers to make informed purchasing decisions. Below are resources highlighting the work done by organizations worldwide to combat bycatch, which you can explore to enhance your understanding of this topic:

• MSC;

• Consortium for Wildlife Bycatch Reduction;

• National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA);

• International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW);

• International Whaling Commission (IWC);

• Seafood Watch;

• Marine Mammal Commission (MMC);

• Oceana;

• International Seafood Sustainable Foundation (ISSF);

• Sustainable Fisheries Partnership (SFP);

• Marine Conservation Society (MCS); and

• Responsible Fishing Practices for Sustainable Fisheries. Global and regional updates gathered by the FAO.
  

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References

[1] Capo Carbonara Marine Protected Area written in Italian. Located at the south of the beautiful island Sardinia, Italy.

[2] The Italian term for a touristic fishing boat.

[3] In water, fish possess respiratory, gustatory, and olfactory chemosensory systems, which together form their chemoperception. Certain fish species, like teleosts (e.g., seabreams, salmon), have highly developed olfactory senses.

[4] Animals consuming deceased organisms as available.

[5] Furrows created in the sand after an anchor was dragged when it was either thrown from or lifted onto the boat.

[6] Marine animals dragged to the surface can die from rapid changes in water pressure, insufficient oxygen once on the boat deck, prolonged entrapment in fishing nets underwater, fatigue, hunger, and stress, among other factors.

[7] A third assessment of global marine fisheries discards by the FAO.

[8] A type of habitat protected under Annex I of the EU Habitats Directive, identified as 1120.

[9] Like sharks, rays are cartilaginous fish and are part of the Superorder Batoidea (batoids). Cartilaginous fish are also categorised as elasmobranchs. Unlike typical fish, cartilaginous fish lack bones and a swim bladder. Instead, their skeletons are mainly made of cartilage, along with other structural, physiological, biochemical, and behavioural traits that distinguish them from bony fishes. They are considered living fossils.

[10] Diet and feeding strategy of the common stingray (Dasyatis pastinaca (Linnaeus, 1758)) at the Turkish coast of south-eastern Black Sea.

[11] The Italian word for 'the captain' signifies the responsible and adventurous leader steering us safely through the waves. It's a proud nickname we used for our fearless boat skippers.

[12] Assessment of the bycatch level for the Black Sea harbour porpoise in the light of new data on population abundance.

[13] In this context, refers to a species that is native to and restricted to a specific geographical area or environment, for example, the Black Sea.

[14] International Guidelines on Bycatch Management and Reduction of Discards by the FAO.