Two Species Of Manatee Are Being Wiped Out By Fishing

     Two species of manatee are being wiped out by fishing. Many are familiar with the Antillean (usually referred to as the "Florida") manatee and the threats it faces from industrial runoff and other pollution in addition to boat strikes.

     However, two equally unique and beautiful creatures grace the saline waters at the basin of the Amazon and the plethora of rivers and bays along coastal West Africa, more colloquially-appropriately named the Amazonian and African manatees, respectively. These species are even worse off, for the places they call home are subject to equal attack with less will and capability on the parts of government to create rules and enforce existing ones.

     In West Africa, locals use manatee parts for pseudo medicinal potions and tonics as well as novelty items. However, the bigger threat caused by direct hunting is hunting for meat and entanglement in fishing gear. With industrial fishing causing declines of 30-90% in fish populations that impoverished Africans and Latin Americans require to live, many are forced to eat marine mammals like dolphins and, in this case, manatees.

     Aside from this indirect link to rising hunting, fishing itself is also killing manatees. These boats flaunt all regulations for the sake of catching cheap fish for Asian, European, and North American markets. Some have been recorded in areas reserved for artisanal fishermen, so close to the shore that their lights look like buildings a mile away. Many species of coastal dolphins are impacted, as are manatees, which exclusively live along the coast. In fact, 90% of all industrial fishing occurs within territorial waters near shore, which makes manatees slow, unfortunate prey for the trawl sets and gill nets. Also of note is the fact that these vessels tear up the sea vegetation manatees must eat copious amounts of to survive.

     While the Florida manatee is showing small signs of recovery, the African and Amazonian manatees are being silently wiped out by industrial fishing.