Save the Fish

This colorful shirt depicts around 100 species of fish, the most diverse group of vertebrates. This diversity is under threat from pollution, development of waterways, introduced species, climate change, and overfishing. The estuaries at the mouths of large rivers, once hotspots of biomass and biodiversity, are being poisoned by pollution from industry and choked by algae blooms fueled by nutrient-rich agricultural runoff. Commercial fisheries tend to target just a few species, such as salmon, sardines, and tuna, and exploit them more quickly than populations can replenish themselves. While the desired catch is specific, some commercial fishing methods like trawling catch many species unintentionally. Dolphins and sea turtles, which breathe air, can become trapped in nets and drown. The journal Science predicts that the world's fisheries could be depleted by 2050 if current practices aren't altered, as commercial fisheries are removing fish from the oceans at rates faster than the remaining fish can reproduce. While not having fish on the menu may not seem tragic to many Americans, many communities in developing countries depend almost entirely on subsistence fishing. There would be famine in many small seafaring nations, not to mention the inherent tragedy of mass extinctions of fish species if the fisheries truly collapsed. Solutions such as fish farming are dubious, as the waste from fish farms tends to disrupt ecosystems and spread disease to wild populations. Predatory fish may also contain toxins such as heavy metals and PCBs. Industrial waste dumped into rivers ends up in oceans, and heavy metals pumped into the air by coal-fired plants and other sources settle into the oceans. These toxins become concentrated higher in the food chain in fish such as tuna, making them risky food choices. You can help fisheries by reducing fish intake and ensuring that fish is responsibly sourced, striving for a plant-based diet, and of course taking actions to minimize pollution and contribution to climate change. Attend a protest, call your senator, "Save the Fish"! Artwork by Steve Carbol MATERIALS: HEAVYWEIGHT : 100% COTTON BRAND : GILDAN MADE IN : DOMINICAN REPUBLIC ORGANIC : 100% COTTON BRAND : ECONSCIOUS MADE IN : MEXICO LONGSLEEVE : 100% COTTON BRAND : ECONSCIOUS MADE IN : NICARAGUA Design # 1524 1524t 1524p 1524r