On Thursday 8th June, we will use the UN’s World Oceans Day, to highlight the devastating impact of fishing on the oceans and the animals that live within them. 

The global fishing industry not only imposes suffering on the billions of fishes that it drags from the oceans daily. It is decimating ecosystems, obliterating vital carbon sinks and pushing us closer to a climate catastrophe. 

With over 90% of fish ‘stocks’ at an ‘unsustainable level’, some scientists predict that the oceans could be virtually empty of fishes by 2048. 

The fact is, FISHING HURTS. 

Five shocking facts about the fishing industry. 

1. An estimated one trillion (a million times a million) fish are dragged from the oceans each year

2. An estimated 40% of all marine victims caught by the fishing industry are caught accidentally (bycatch). This includes an estimated 100 million sharks - apex predators that are essential for healthy ocean ecosystems 

3. A quarter of the world’s sea animals are caught by bottom trawlers that drag huge nets along the ocean floor, often destroying ancient corals and habitats

4. 49% of the world’s ‘seafood’ now comes from fish farms - breeding grounds for disease, where fish are crammed in the tens of thousands. 

5. These farmed fishes are fed free-living fishes. Carnivorous fishes like salmon and cod need up to five times their body weight in other fishes. This can mean that 500 individuals must be caught and killed, just to produce one salmon! 

Read more about fishes, the fishing industry and fish farms on our Fishing Hurts campaign page.

How can you help? 

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Door drop for us

We need your help to hit the streets and letterboxes of your local area! On World Ocean Day (or any day you can!), help us highlight the suffering of fishes by door-dropping our brand-new campaign leaflets. 

‍Order our new FREE A5 FISHING HURTS leaflets.

Share our FISHING HURTS graphics

Save the graphics below on your phone or your laptop and share them on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter. Don’t forget to use the hashtags #WORLDOCEANDAY and #FISHINGHURTS in your posts! 

This World Ocean Day let's spread the message that there AREN’T plenty more fish in the sea! 

As always,

For the animals.