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…

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⚠️WARNING: GRAPHIC CONTENT⚠️ Please share this video of a poor whale that was killed by fishermen in Brazil because while the complaint has already been made (apparently it’s the second time that this captain has committed this crime) now we must get the word out about this important issue! With the current dismantling of the Brazilian environmental inspection bodies, known and admitted by the Minister of the Environment, what do you think will happen? Annually, it is estimated that 300,000 whales and dolphins die due to accidental fishing in the world. That's right, 300 THOUSAND! Every day hundreds of innocent animals like whales, dolphins, turtles, sharks, and other marine animals also die like this. Bycatch fishing is the term used to define all fishing that is not the target of that particular industry. For example this whale, she was accidentally caught by that vessel's fishing equipment. It is estimated that the annual total of animals killed in this way is around 1 million! The oceans are dying and we are to blame. These men, showing terrible cruelty in the video, are used to accidental death. This happens with frightening frequency. Uncontrolled industrial fishing has been the main factor in the decline of marine populations. Industrial fishing is so devastating that it is estimated that 40% of all industrial fishing is accidental. Thousands of animals die from our collective cruelty every day! Please share this video with your followers and tag people celebrities and influencers to help spread awareness about this crisis because NO MORE INNOCENT ANIMALS DESERVE TO DIE LIKE THIS, WE MUST STOP THIS AND DO BETTER! Video by @seashepherdbrasil #saveouroceans #savethewhales #endanimalcruelty #karmagawa #savethereef

A post shared by SaveTheReef (@savethereef) on May 26, 2020 at 4:15pm PDT

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)