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A SOCIAL SUSTAINABLE PROJECT ENABLING FISHERMEN TO RE-BALANCE AND REPLENISH THE OCEAN ECOSYSTEM -
How can local sardine fishermen become more sustainable and support the wider ocean eco-
system?
Sardines are key to the Portuguese diet and account for the majority of the fish trawled and pulled up by small-scale, local fishing fleets. However, decreasing sardine stocks caused by overfishing and depleting phytoplankton, the primary diet of these small fish, combined with decreasing EU quotas that dictate how much fish local fishermen can catch, means that fishermen across the coast of Portugal are not able to survive
Phytoplankton is the foundation of the aquatic food chain and supports almost all life forms in the ocean, everything from zooplankton to multi-ton whales. However, deep sea trawling in pursuit of these sardines has been detrimental to the ocean bed, destroying much of the natural habitat that supports phytoplankton as well as protect young sardines.
In this project I propose that fishermen become custodians of the sea, not only taking but also giving back. By developing a local, sustainable system of growing and nurturing phytoplankton I hope to encourage Portuguese fisherman to release 20litres of phytoplankton for every 20kgs of sardines they catch daily – enough to replenish and support the amount of plankton that these fish will consume each day and contribute to a more holistic approach of caring and giving back to the ocean what we take from it.
credits:
Image stylish by: Lou Blackshaw and Kieren Jones
Photographed by: Tom Mannion
2016
