paddydiver
Contributor
Having spent years working with Diving in SE Asia and many years working back in Europe with Fisheries (and also diving), I will totally concur that the majority of Westerners are delusional and it has to be said borderline racist in their attitudes to shark fishing and fishing in General. I've been on dive boats where 'eco warrior' European Instructors have shouted abuse at local fishermen working from 6m wooden boats for destroying 'their' dive site. Where a photo of a single blacktip shark sold locally at a market for meat will go viral on social media with the usual condemnation of ignorant locals and the 'awful Chinese'.
The problem in the west is we are so distanced from the industrial magnitude of fisheries that we can't comprehend the destruction caused. People buy their fish in supermarkets and from fishmongers where its beautifully presented with comforting labels stating MSC certified, dolphin friendly, responsibly sourced etc...and blindly accept the advertising.
I've often asked these European divers how many sharks they've seen while diving back home? When was the last time they came across an enormous school of fish while on a dive? It takes a bit of talking for them to accept it's been decimated by domestic fishing, continues to be overfished and that Europe is also busy fishing out African waters sponsored by the EU!
The problem in the west is we are so distanced from the industrial magnitude of fisheries that we can't comprehend the destruction caused. People buy their fish in supermarkets and from fishmongers where its beautifully presented with comforting labels stating MSC certified, dolphin friendly, responsibly sourced etc...and blindly accept the advertising.
I've often asked these European divers how many sharks they've seen while diving back home? When was the last time they came across an enormous school of fish while on a dive? It takes a bit of talking for them to accept it's been decimated by domestic fishing, continues to be overfished and that Europe is also busy fishing out African waters sponsored by the EU!
