(live here) – The fishing nets, which are common in the Mediterranean Sea, are not only tools for fishermen but also cause serious dangers. They pose a threat not only to the lives of fish but also to the lives of sea turtles, marine mammals and even divers and swimmers. What appears to be a simple fishing story turns out to be a journey into a world full of unseen dangers.
Deadly "eyes" in the standing nets
The fishing nets, which consist of holes called "eyes" in the language of fishermen, are designed to catch fish by adjusting the size of the mesh to the fishing goal. But this cruel method does not only harm the fish. The caught fish pushes its head, is trapped and suffocates, but not only fish fall victim. These nets can also cause a brutal death to sea turtles and marine mammals.
Ghost webs that become tongues
Over the years, old fishing nets made of cloth become underwater habitats. They cover themselves with marine pairs and create artificial reefs. But behind the pastoral reef hides a story of death and suffering. These nets continue to be a source of danger, not only to fish and other marine animals, but also to humans.
The danger to divers and swimmers
Fishing nets that are spread near the ganging tables pose a real threat to divers and swimmers. One of the most serious dangers is nets with three sides, made of strong nylon. A diver who becomes entangled in such a net may lose his life. An example of this is the story of a diver in Acre, who was caught in such a net and almost drowned. Only thanks to the help of sailors who carried a knife he managed to free himself.
A chilling testimony from a veteran diver
The same diver, who escaped by the skin of his teeth, says that the net buoys were not visible above the surface of the water, which made the trap unexpected. As soon as he realized he was getting into trouble, the panic attack almost paralyzed him. The event snarled in his memory, as the fins on which the net marks remained became a painful reminder of the traumatic experience.
The dangers hidden in the grading tables
Beyond the nets, divers and swimmers face additional dangers in the reef tables. The area is covered with sessile animals such as vaginal worms and sea acorns, whose impact is similar to slipping on asphalt. The danger increases when the sea is rough and getting out of the water becomes a complex task, as seen in the story of a tank diver who was seriously injured in the head and had to stop working for a month and a half due to his injuries.
Call to action: protecting beaches and people
It's time to act. Fishing with nets must be regulated in a way that avoids risk to divers and swimmers. Laws must be enacted to prohibit the deployment of nets in dangerous areas and to monitor the types of nets in use. This way we can prevent further disasters and ensure the safety of humans and nature together.
Dear Moti, great and interesting article! As is your habit, you publish things about them for us, thank you for raising the awareness of all of us as a public. Cheers!
Our amazing Moti. Such an important article. Really worrying. And so important to awaken a scientist to the subject. Thank you for taking care of us swimmers and especially for life.
Have you had enough!!!, another article that blackmails the fishermen...like every week.
And what did you want us to catch them in our hands?
And there are draconian laws and regulations regarding net fishing. that harm the professional fisherman who does sacred work and feeds the public with the healthiest and highest quality fish, unlike the fish grown in fish ponds that are full of antibiotics and other chemicals...
And food security has no value?? Is it better to import from Gaza? From Turkey? From Egypt??
Both an enemy and a stinker...
Instead of saying thank you and nurturing the traditional professional fisherman, you are busy denigrating him, shame on you.. the same is done to all the farmers, exterminating them little by little and then crying that the tomatoes are sold for 30 shekels per kilo. Bring them from Turkey... hahaha poor!!
A method that is so destructive and indiscriminate and thus hurts so much that humans are not involved with it as described in the article and with that in the beta family (seals bats) some of which are in danger of extinction...
And with sea turtles of its various types.
They are simply thrown away by the fishermen as a waste later, how sad.
The method is destructive because they leave the net especially now that the water is cold for 8 hours and more whole nights and thus there is no chance to save sea turtles or seals that have become entangled in the net.
Just reminding of what happened two seasons ago when a fisherman chose to put a net next to the reserve that was located for whole nights and one night that's how he killed 34 broad-toothed bettas
which is in danger of extinction and the sad part is that it was a few days before the cessation of fishing for Rabia and even sadder it was known to the fisherman himself and to everyone who knows the area that this method in this place would lead to a disaster but the dry law made nothing wait for the disaster to happen and then act.
Well done Moti for raising the issue
All those who set nets close to the shore take away their license and fine them big fines, they endanger people, I myself swam in Kiryat Haim and entered the net several times, once a wall net and once a net that was thrown into the sea instead of throwing it in garbage, very scary
Kudos to you my dear friend Muti Mendelsohn for this report. Have a blessed and blessed Sabbath.
These nets are called zids in the language of the fishermen and they simply stay in the water for the night usually and are placed in the shipping lanes of the fish and unfortunately there are also the sea turtles that get caught in it and suffocate.
We need to stop allowing fishing and as we see from our experience, there will be a rapid change in the restoration of the fish and the sea.
Nice article, Motti, there is no doubt that you are aware and aware of the problem
Legal action must be taken against the use of these networks.
Moti, it's time to outlaw fishing nets.
This may increase the price of sea fish in the markets but it will increase the fishing in the sea (which has been reduced in recent decades) considerably and will be available and abundant for legal fishing from the coast