Because of the varied nature of the fishing industry, bycatch mitigation efforts also vary greatly, sometimes even from fishery to fishery. In this installment we will take a high-level view at some of those mitigation efforts happening at the global, national and local level.
Written by Conservation Coordinator Shelby Serra Fishing – from meager to monstrous Fish as a means of nourishment have been an integral component of human history for millennia. However, in the last 50 years, annual global consumption of seafood products has more than doubled per capita2 as methods for fishing became more effective. Since the earliest days of fishing, seafood preservation techniques have developed and transportation improved, with viable fishing shifting from small-scale local activities … Continued
We’ve made it to our final installment of Making Waves, focusing on responsible whale watching and marine tourism governance. Since we now know that education and operator compliance play integral roles in the sustainability of the industry, we can ask ourselves – what is Pacific Whale Foundation doing about it? How have we contributed over the last 40 years? What are we up to TODAY that continues to contribute to both the conservation of the species involved and the inspiration we ignite in the nearly 400,000 people we reach every year? Check out our final installment and learn about PWF’s contributions to responsible marine tourism!
This past year has been uniquely difficult, but good things happen even during the toughest of times. As the first month of 2021 comes to a close, we would like to reflect on the positives experienced at Pacific Whale Foundation.
How is whale watching conducted in other parts of the world? From our last installment, we learned that in the U.S. we take good care to protect and conserve the species encountered on these types of trips. How do other countries do it? What are some of the similarities and differences? Check out this next Making Waves installment to learn more about marine tourism governance from sea to shining sea!
In order to understand how responsible whale watching can be achieved, we must understand what the ingredients are for a safe and informative whale watch. In our next installment of this Making Waves series, we highlight the policies and people that work to ensure responsible viewing of wildlife in their natural environments. Who decides how close we can get? And what responsibility do the people working aboard the boat have to the conservation of the animals involved? Read our next installment of Making Waves to learn more.
Author: Conservation Coordinator Shelby Serra Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 We now know the dangerous threat human-generated debris poses to marine environments here in Hawaii and across the globe. Imagine a world in which your favorite consumer products came packaged in recyclable, sustainable materials that didn’t end up polluting our oceans? In our previous installments on the … Continued
Author: Conservation Coordinator Shelby Serra In part two of this series, we explored the history of efforts to address the plastic pollution problem facing the geographically vulnerable state of Hawaii. Although there are a few states that are attempting change with state-wide plastic bans, such as California and New York (and Hawai’i due to our 4-county wide … Continued
Author: Conservation Coordinator Shelby Serra Part 1 of the marine debris series (Overview) It’s time to continue our conversation about the threat of marine debris. Although the issue of marine debris seems insurmountable, progress HAS been made. Along with education campaigns that focus on behavior change and multi-stakeholder collaboration, there are policies that have been enacted to aid in the mitigation of this … Continued
Author: Conservation Coordinator Shelby Serra From the smallest plastic straw to a 1000lb discarded fishing net, marine debris — trash that finds its way to the marine environment — is an issue that spans the globe. Whether a stream, river, lake, sea or ocean, all marine environments are subject to the damaging impacts of marine debris. Researchers are building mounting evidence that marine debris, specifically persistent plastics, pose a serious risk … Continued
