lauttimur.com - Purse seines, a popular fishing gear among commercial fishers, have brought benefits in catching fish massively and efficiently. However, despite its advantages, the use of purse seines also brings a variety of drawbacks and negative impacts to the marine ecosystem. Here are some of the drawbacks of using purse seines:

1.    Excessive Bycatch
Purse seines can catch not only the desired target fish but also various non-target fish species, marine mammals, seabirds and other marine animals. This excessive bycatch can cause death or injury to unwanted species and disrupt the balance of the ecosystem.

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2.    Impacts on large marine animals
Purse seines are often used to catch large fish such as tuna, which can lead to population declines of large marine animals and important carnivores in the marine food chain. If not properly regulated, this can cause disruption to the overall marine ecosystem.

3.    Use of plastic materials
Some modern purse seines are made from plastic materials, which can cause pollution problems and plastic waste in the ocean. If purse seines are damaged or lost at sea, they can become a source of plastic waste that is harmful to marine life and humans.

4.    Social and economic impacts
Unsustainable use of purse seines can lead to significant declines in fish populations and negatively impact the livelihoods of local fishers. If fish resources are depleted or severely degraded, this can threaten the sustainability of fishing businesses and reduce fishers' income.

5.    Overfishing tendency
If the use of purse seines is not properly regulated or fishers do not comply with set catch limits, there is a risk of overfishing in certain areas. Overfishing can cause a decline in fish populations, threaten the sustainability of fish resources, and disrupt marine ecosystems.

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6.    Damage to coral reefs
The use of purse seines around coral reefs can cause physical damage to sensitive coral reef ecosystems. Nets caught in coral reefs can damage corals and disrupt important habitats for many marine species.

7.    Conflicts with other marine species
Large-scale use of purse seines can cause conflicts with other marine industries, such as tourism or local fishing sectors that use different fishing methods. This can trigger competition and tension between these sectors.

To address these shortcomings, it is important to implement sustainable fishing practices, comply with existing rules and regulations, and use environmentally friendly and selective purse seine technologies and designs. Joint efforts from governments, fishers, scientists and communities will be key to ensuring the sustainable utilization of marine resources and protecting the marine ecosystem as a whole.

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