Monk Seals Compete with Fishing Industry for Food
From Melissa:
Much is being done in the way of critical habitat designation to ensure the survival of the Hawaiian monk seal. Is it
enough though? These precious creatures inhabit the Northwest Hawaiian Islands (NWHI) and are at high risk of becoming extinct due to death caused by starvation, predation, males accidentally killing females in the mating process and entanglement in fishing gear.
NOAA decided last year the Caribbean monk seals had become extinct, and has observed that the Hawaiian breed has reached a population of about 1,200, declining by abut 4 percent a year during this decade. Federal Judge Samuel King noted nine years ago that it was likely that the fishing industry “contributes to the starvation of the monk seals,” but fisheries strongly deny it.
For whatever reason, the seals apparently are not getting enough to eat. Fitted with compact video cameras in a National Geographic project from 1995 to 2002, they were seen dining on a wide variety of crustaceans, squid, octopus and fish, competing for food with large and hungry ulua.
Should more restrictions and rules be enforced in the critical habitat of the Hawaiian monk seal? As of today, eight fishing boats based out of Honolulu are permitted to fish in certain areas of the NWHI, one of which, very recently was caught fishing in a restricted area. These vessels catch approximately half of the locally landed bottomfish in Hawaii. By revoking these permits, the fish populations will likely replenish, leading to more food for the monk seals thus less starvation. Could this be the way to go to further protect the monk seals or would it just enrage the fishing industry?
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