The Mediterranean Sea is experiencing severe environmental issues, such as plastic pollution, overfishing, and rising temperatures. Mokhtar al-Rammash, a fisherman from Libya, reports that his nets often catch more plastic than fish due to the massive influx of waste. Industrial trawlers deplete fish stocks daily, and sewage pollution from nearby towns harms marine ecosystems. Coastal reclamation also disrupts breeding grounds, exacerbating the crisis. Al-Rammash emphasizes the need for government intervention to protect fisheries, noting the irony of Libya needing to import fish despite having an extensive coastline.
Plastic pollution, according to the United Nations, enters the Mediterranean Sea at a staggering rate of 730 tons each day, affecting marine life significantly.
Mokhtar al-Rammash highlighted that industrial trawlers are depleting fish stocks by catching everything, including juvenile fish, leading to unsustainable fishing practices.
Environmental concerns are compounded by sewage from Libyan coastal towns, which is harming fish and sponge populations, alongside coastal reclamation projects disrupting breeding grounds.
Despite having one of the longest coastlines in the region, Libya faces a paradox of importing fish due to extensive environmental degradation affecting local fisheries.
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