Kyle Van Houtan, Ph.D. (© DigitalGlobe/Marine Photobank)Researchers Kyle Van Houtan & Daniel Pauly claim they have found evidence of damage incurred by bottom trawling. Using satellite images, the research supports the view that fishing with rockhoppers and dredges harms the ocean more than any other human activity. In fact, Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch claim "near Australia, bottom trawlers have pulled up and destroyed six-foot-tall (185cm) gorgonians that were at least 700 years old."
Van Houtan & Pauly's website allows viewers to take a tour of mud damage through Google Earth.
Van Houtan & Pauly's website allows viewers to take a tour of mud damage through Google Earth.
1 comment:
I am blown away every time I see these satellite images. They illustrate the unsustainable intensity by which we are fishing our ocean today.
Please tell your readers that I run the Marine Photobank - a project of the non-profit charity SeaWeb. I collect and provide ocean conservation themed imagery that highlights the state of our ocean to a global network of conservationists, educators, students and researchers. Membership is free and use for non-commercial efforts is free. Media can also use under special terms.
I encourage your viewers to send me ocean conservation imagery and I will post on our site. Credit and weblinks will be provided with each image.
Thanks for this posting. I hope it opens many more eyes to the destruction of our ocean.
Reuven Walder
The Marine Photobank
www.marinephotobank.org
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