Too Many Fishing ‘Accidents’ Are Killing Whales

Every year, over 300,000 whales, dolphins, and porpoises are killed by accidentally getting caught in fishing gear…

Warning: This video is tough to watch, but it shows you what’s really happening…

These horrifying events are known as “bycatch” and it’s the biggest threat of harm and death to whales and dolphins today.

Whales and dolphins breathe air just like us … so when they get tangled up in a net or rope, they try to escape in a panic to avoid suffocation. The more these animals struggle, the more entangled they become.

When this happens, muscles are torn, teeth are broken — or as you saw in the video — fins are sheared off.

Those that are able to break free can swim for months with gear wrapped around their bodies — entrapping them or even sawing into their flesh until they die from infections.

In this particular video, the whale was killed by fishermen in Brazil — and apparently, it was the second offense by the ship’s captain.

With the dismantling of the Brazilian environmental inspection bodies, known and admitted by the Minister of the Environment, justice for this poor whale will probably never come to light.

The beautiful animals of the ocean are dying and we humans are to blame because things like this happen with frightening frequency. 

It’s estimated that 40% of all industrial fishing is accidental — and uncontrolled industrial fishing has been the main factor in the decline of marine populations.

At Karmagawa and Save the Reef, we won’t be silent. We’ll continue to share the truth so that changes can be made to protect the voiceless.

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How does it make you feel that these gentle giants are being killed for no reason? Leave a comment below.

(Cover image: DejaVuDesigns/Shutterstock)