Hi guys! Welcome back, I hope you’ve all had a good recess week! This week we’ll be exploring the impact of COVID-19 on the fishing industry and marine life.

I’d like to start off with this image I came across when I was reading an article from The Straits Times: 

What first comes to mind when you see the picture in this article? (Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments!)

To be honest, this image did not stand out to me when I first saw it. I only saw the picture as it was. Boats. However, upon reading the article further, I realised that a picture truly speaks a thousand words. The boats in the picture are actually fishing boats docked in Mumbai, a visual representation of how COVID-19 has impacted the fishing industry.

COVID-19 has caused a reduction in fishing activity. Why is this so? Well, it all boils down to 2 main reasons. 

1. Reduced demand for fish 

Lockdowns and recessions worldwide have caused restaurants to shut down (this is seen in the Philippines and France). The closure of restaurants thus resulted in a fall in demand for fish and hence a reduction in fishing activity. 

1. Social distancing measures

This occurred in two ways. Firstly, fishing related businesses were forced to stop operations as they were considered non-essential services. Secondly, social distancing measures posed too many difficulties for fishers to continue fishing. Personally, I found this particularly interesting as I was unaware of how social distancing measures could affect such businesses so drastically and even cause their closures. 

The article also suggested that the fall in fishing pressure had a positive impact on marine life. And this may actually be true. Studies in China have shown that more fish can be found in the ocean and this can be attributed to the absence of fishing boats. 

But, while it may seem like marine life has gotten a break, it is also important to note that our aquatic friends may actually be threatened by this pandemic. Reports have shown increased illegal fishing activities in countries such as Argentina and Indonesia. This is likely to be caused by less strict law enforcement by the respective governments. 

Overall, I am skeptical of the benefits to marine life that were claimed in the article. Aside from the threats posed, I would think that the benefits claimed would, at most, only last until the end of the pandemic. In the long-run, once COVID-19 is sufficiently tamed (or hopefully even eradicated), businesses and economies will pick up once more and the demand for fish is likely to return to pre-COVID levels. If so, fishing activities will resume full speed ahead, and any benefits to marine life will end or even be negated. 

I hope to hear from you guys too! Do you think COVID-19 has really benefited marine ecosystems?