Learn about impacted species

This whole project was initially inspired by a line in the book Eating Animals by Jonathan Safran Foer:

“Imagine being served a plate of sushi. But this plate also holds all of the animals that were killed for your serving of sushi. This plate might have to be five feet across” (page 50)

I think this visualization is particularly impactful because it draws attention to the waste that we might not be aware of. When eating meat, most people are aware of the fact that an animal died to provide the energy needed for our own survival. Regardless of personal comfort surrounding the idea of eating animals, many accept the 1 to 1 energy exchange where one animal dies so another can continue living. 

But in reality, it's not just a single animal that dies for each of our meals. As Foer makes clear, the inefficiency of large scale fishing operations means that the ratio of animals dying to animals getting energy is so far from anything that could possibly be considered natural. 

This sushi painting is here to represent the total usable product that comes from the deaths of the animals shown in the other eleven paintings (not including whatever fish is tortilla-ed in rice and seaweed in the painting itself). With this, I don’t intend to deter anyone from eating animals altogether, but rather be conscious of what it means to do so in today’s highly industrialized world.

Anchovy fall into the category of fish that are legal to catch and keep, however, there are limits on the number of them that may be caught. Once a certain quota is reached, all operations must stop. Because of this, the bycatch of species like anchovy often causes fishing operations to close early. This is bad for coastal communities whose economies are reliant on bringing back enough (non-anchovy) fish. 

Similar species that are frequently bycatch: lancetfish, gray triggerfish, needlefish, pomfret, blue runner, black ruff, dolphin fish, bigeye cigarfish, porcupine fish, rainbow runner, anchovy, grouper, flying fish

One main problem associated with the bycatch of species like herring is that the legal size requirements for catching them often results in a higher proportion of smaller, younger fish being discarded dead or soon to be. This means that these fish don’t have a chance to reproduce, resulting in declining numbers in their populations. 

Similar species that are frequently bycatch: lancetfish, gray triggerfish, needlefish, pomfret, blue runner, black ruff, dolphin fish, bigeye cigarfish, porcupine fish, rainbow runner, anchovy, grouper, flying fish

It is estimated that 300,000 dolphins and whales die annually as bycatch. The problem is so severe that the Atlantic Coast of France is close to having all dolphin populations wiped out entirely. Additionally, the population of world’s smallest porpoise, the vaquita, has been reduced to just 10 individuals, thanks to bycatch. 

Similar species that are frequently bycatch: common dolphin, harbor porpoise, striped dolphin, Atlantic spotted dolphin, spinner dolphin, bottlenose dolphin

The catching of this species has the same detrimental ecological impact as shrimp trawling, since it’s a bottom dwelling fish. 

Similar species that are frequently bycatch: pilotfish, black gemfish, stone bass, bluefish, cassava fish, red drum, greater amberjack, yellowtail, common sea bream, barracuda, puffer fish

Entanglement in fishing gear is also the single greatest threat to sea turtles, many of which are endangered species. Attempts are being made to reduce the number of turtles killed by swallowing fishing hooks, including swapping out traditional hooks with a more circular hook shape that is harder for turtles to swallow. Turtle exclusion devices are also being implemented. These allow somewhat easy escape for turtles in fishing nets. 

Similar species that are frequently bycatch: loggerhead turtle, leatherback turtle, hawksbill turtle, Kemp’s ridley turtle

Anchovies are another example of a species that is a more sustainable option in terms of seafood. They are caught at mid depths by purse seines, which are more selective and can even allow for exclusion of certain non-target species. 

Similar species that are frequently bycatch: lancetfish, gray triggerfish, needlefish, pomfret, blue runner, black ruff, dolphin fish, bigeye cigarfish, porcupine fish, rainbow runner, anchovy, grouper, flying fish

Bycatch is the most significant and direct factor threatening cetaceans. 300,000 whales are killed by bycatch each year. They can get trapped in gill nets and die as they can’t reach the surface for air. 

Similar species that are frequently bycatch: minke whale, sei whale, fin whale, northern right whale, pilot whale, beaked whale, killer whale, sperm whale, beaked whale, killer whale, sperm whale, goose-beaked whale

Mackerel operations are considerably more sustainable than shrimp trawling, for instance. The difference here is that shrimp nets are dragged across the seafloor, destroying habitats and anything in their path. Mackerel are caught at mid depth, and while this doesn’t destroy seafloor habitats, it does increase the chances of the accidental catching of whales, dolphins, sea turtles, and other fish. 

Similar species that are frequently bycatch: wahoo, sailfish, bonito, king mackerel, Spanish mackerel, longbill spearfish, white marlin, swordfish, lancetfish, gray triggerfish, needlefish

Fish aren’t the only animals that are killed in large scale fishing operations. Sea birds can either get tangled in nets while diving for food, or can swallow the hooks on longlines and drown. 320,000 seabirds are estimated to be killed yearly, including many that are listed as threatened or endangered by the Endangered Species Act.

Similar species that are frequently bycatch: Atlantic yellow-nosed albatross, Audouin’s gull, balearic shearwater, black-browed albatross, great black-backed gull, great shearwater, great-winged petrel, gray petrel, herring gull, laughing gull, northern royal albatross, shy albatross, sooty shearwater, southern fulmar, Yelkouan shearwater

Mackerel operations are considerably more sustainable than shrimp trawling, for instance. The difference here is that shrimp nets are dragged across the seafloor, destroying habitats and anything in their path. Mackerel are caught at mid depth, and while this doesn’t destroy seafloor habitats, it does increase the chances of the accidental catching of whales, dolphins, sea turtles, and other fish. 

Similar species that are frequently bycatch: wahoo, sailfish, bonito, king mackerel, Spanish mackerel, longbill spearfish, white marlin, swordfish, lancetfish, gray triggerfish, needlefish

These fish are frequently caught by fisheries targeting red and vermilion snappers. Due to their ‘fishy’ flavor (personally I’m confused why fish tasting fishy is an issue but that's besides the point), they are not easy to sell and are tossed back to the ocean, dead. 

Similar species that are frequently bycatch: lancetfish, gray triggerfish, needlefish, pomfret, blue runner, black ruff, dolphin fish, bigeye cigarfish, porcupine fish, rainbow runner, cod, Bermuda chub, opah, escolar, leerfish, tripletail, goosefish, monkfish, sunfish, stone bass, bluefish, cassava fish, red drum