Fishy Business - The Illegal Driftnet Fishery

English - Español - Français - Italiano - Deutsch - Ελληνικά - العربية

Mediterranean - The Sea in the Middle of the Earth
In a region not often associated with wildlife, the Mediterranean Sea is a haven for a range of remarkable cetacean species.
Sperm Whales of Greece
We join Dr. Alexandros Frantzis of the Pelagos Cetacean Research Institute, onboard the R/V Nereis on a journey into the deepest trenches of the Mediterranean.
Fishy Business - The Illegal Driftnet Fishery
Despite a world-wide ban by the United Nations in 1992 and by the European Union in 2002, the driftnet fishery continues illegally throughout the Mediterranean Sea.
Disappearing Dolphins
Common dolphins were once abundant throughout the Mediterranean Sea. Today they are declining rapidly, surviving only in portions of their former range.
Sanctuaries of the Sea
What does it mean to save whales, dolphins and porpoises if their habitat is left unprotected?

The player will show in this paragraph

Featuring:

Socializing sperm whales, Greece - Chris Johnson

Despite a world-wide ban by the United Nations in 1992 and by the European Union in 2002, the driftnet fishery continues illegally throughout the Mediterranean Sea. Driftnets are banned because they take large quantities of unwanted catch, called bycatch, putting populations of migratory fish, sea turtles and cetaceans at risk.

We interview Xavier Pastor of Oceana, a global marine conservation organization. He leads a team of scientists, photographers, and videographers who are systematically documenting the use of illegal driftnets throughout the Mediterranean. With over 500 driftnet vessels operating illegally in the region, researchers and conservation groups are concerned that marine species are being pushed to the edge. In this episode, we investigate the fishery and examine why it still occurs today.