Having a ropeless fishery in California was a recent bill that was introduced with the idea to be completed by 2025. Social Compassion in Legislation and the Center for Biological Diversity were the two cosponsors for this bill. Climate change and an intense marine heatwave that triggered ecosystem changes and habitat compression have been attributed to the increase in whale entanglements through the past years. They are trying to find a way to mitigate depredation by charging the equipment they use with the help of scientists from the California Ocean Protection Council and National Marine Fisheries. When researching the longer-term cost we are looking at about 1 million dollars for all this gear. There is also lots of testing going on regarding the technology and how it will all work.
This seems like an ambitious but necessary issue because it could lead to a decline in biodiversity and an increase in endangered species in California. Having and making these new supplies and gear are things that will take time and effort but be crucial for these ocean animals. With all the new technological advances going on right now this is not too far away in terms of technological advancements so I’m optimistic that they will be able to accomplish this goal through all the organization and bills. Overall, these new ways of fishing will be very beneficial to our ecosystem.
I’m really glad that California is dedicating money and time to address this problem. I think sometimes issues that require significant funding and effort get shot down and pushed aside, so it’s reassuring to hear this problem is being addressed. What sort of tools and gear is necessary to accomplish this?
I agree that this is necessary to marine life and will be beneficial in the long run. Do you think there is a chance a similar problem could arise even with the new technology?
This was a very interesting article, and it was very interesting to see that the cost was a million dollars per year. What sort of technology do we need to fund these new fishing techniques?
We are moving to more compromisable forms of fishing, and our environment is benefiting because of it. In plain sight, and numbers