Abandoned fishing gears are “immortal menace” to marine life

Wazzup Pilipinas!

New report from WWF says abandoned fishing gear an “immortal menace” which must be central in the fight against plastic pollution

The report, Stop Ghost Gear: The most deadly form of marine plastic debris, shines a lights on how ghost gear is responsible for harming 66 per cent of marine mammal species, half of seabird species and all species of sea turtles, often subjecting them to a slow, painful and inhumane death. 

So-called “ghost gear”, fishing equipment which is lost in the sea, can continue killing marine life for decades or even centuries after it first enters the ocean, making it the most deadly form of marine plastic debris

WWF is calling on governments to develop a legally binding global plastic pollution treaty that addresses this fundamental threat to marine wildlife 

PHILIPPINES—Abandoned fishing gear is the deadliest form of plastic debris for marine life and has already driven the vaquita porpoise and other marine mammals to the brink of extinction, yet even as this crisis continues to intensify, little attention is being paid to it by governments or industry, according to a new report from WWF.

The report, Stop Ghost Gear: The most deadly form of marine plastic debris, shines a lights on how ghost gear* is responsible for harming 66 per cent of marine mammal species, half of seabird species and all species of sea turtles, often subjecting them to a slow, painful and inhumane death. It also damages vital marine habitats such as coral reefs and mangroves and threatens the food sources and livelihoods of coastal communities and fishers, according to the report, which highlights how tackling ghost gear should be at the fore of efforts to combat the global plastic pollution problem. 

Commenting on the report, Marco Lambertini, Director General of WWF International said:

“While the consequences of plastic waste are finally starting to receive the attention they deserve, there’s still too little awareness about the catastrophic harm caused by ghost gear. This needs to change urgently given that it’s the most deadly form of marine plastic debris and that it can linger in our oceans for centuries, wreaking havoc like some kind of immortal menace: continuously and cruelly killing whales, dolphins, seals, seabirds, turtles and sharks, and damaging vital ocean habitats.

“This report unveils the impact and the tragic scale of this invisible ocean killer, and how it is linked to the practices of fishers and the fishing industry, as well as making it very clear that the current legal framework on marine plastic pollution and ghost gear is fragmented and ineffective. This is a global problem which requires coordinated action across the world, which is why WWF urges governments and businesses to support the establishment of a new global UN treaty on plastic pollution that sets out global goals and binding targets for both land- and marine-based plastic pollution, which in turn can help drive robust local regulation of ghost gear. We must stop ghost gear from decimating marine life and drowning the ocean we all depend on once and for all.”

The report shows that:

At least 10 per cent of marine litter is estimated to be made up of fishing waste, which means that between 500,000 and 1 million tons of fishing gear are entering the ocean every year. 

The number of species affected by either entanglement or ingestion of plastic debris has doubled since 1997, from 267 to 557 species. 66% of marine mammals, 50% of seabirds, and all 7 species of marine turtles .

5.7 per cent of all fishing nets, 8.6 per cent of traps and pots, and 29 per cent of all fishing lines used globally are lost around the world each year. 

In the upper Gulf of California, Mexico, illegal and abandoned gillnets have driven the vaquita porpoise to the brink of extinction – only around 10 individuals remain.

Ghost gear damages valuable marine habitats, damaging coral, harming the habitats of sessile animals, damaging vegetation, causing sediment build-up, and impeding access to key ecosystems.

Ghost gear has negative economic impacts, posing dangers to livelihoods and navigation by boat.

Studies estimate that over 90 per cent of species caught in ghost gear are of commercial value. 

Ghost gear can act as a navigation hazard, affecting a vessel’s propulsion and the ability to manoeuvre, causing operational delays, economic loss and, in extreme cases, injuries or even the loss of lives of crew members or ferry passengers.

As well as calling on governments to support the establishment of a new treaty to stop plastic pollution, WWF is encouraging countries to join the Global Ghost Gear Initiative - a global alliance of fishing industry, private sector, corporates, NGOs, academia and governments focused on solving the problem of lost and abandoned fishing gear worldwide.

Members of the public are invited to join almost 2 million others in signing the petition calling governments to take urgent action at www.panda.org/plastics.They can also support the campaign by uploading a photo or video of a sea species to social media with a big hashtag (#) over it and tagging #StopGhostGear.

#SalamatDeafEd: Department of Education distances itself from suicide issues

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"The Education Department appeals to everyone to stop connecting the recent deaths of teachers and students to the challenges of distance learning.

“We would like to request to the public to respect the families’ privacy and avoid speculating the cause of death,” DepEd says in its recent statement. “Suicide is a sensitive and complex issue.”"

Washing of hands is the only thing this government officials and it's department is good at.

It may not be the primary cause, but could probably be the triggering cause. It could be one factor that pushed them to the edge. Yan yung mas lalong nagpabigat sa mabigat na sitwasyon nila. Huwag ninyo na pagtakpan ang kapalpakan ng sistema ninyo.

Shouldn't people be more aware of what's going on so as to tackle what problems are happening, instead of silencing efforts to study the reasons behind the suicides? 

It's true that we should not jump to conclusions as indeed mental health has many contributing factors. However, it would be better if they pro-actively investigate and confirm any linkage.

It would be prudent for the Department of Education to take further study on the correlation of the deaths/suicide incidents to the stress/anxiety  felt by students and teachers because of distance learning. 

Why release such a statement when it only boils out to the same reason in the end. Kindly read between the lines. It does have something to do with the stress and pressure the system is giving to all the teachers, parents and students. Please admit that and do something about it. You can never address the problem properly if the Department does not even recognize and admit it's fault and the problem itself.

Pwede naman irespect ang privacy basta yung experts pinag-aaralan din yung solutions for the problem. Pero tama din si DepEd na sana wag na makiusyoso sa personal details.

Education is not a race.

Better planning and approach should be provided both students and teachers.

It's okay if you skip this school year. If you're challenged to study this year, it doesn't amount to failure. What we have here is an alternative for learning. If it doesn't work for you, it's okay to stop trying. WE WILL UNDERSTAND. And we appreciate you for trying. 

To DepEd, we understand that learning needs to continue this year. I wouldn't want to waste the opportunity for my child to continue his school this year. But I would not force it to other children especially those who are underprivileged. Please provide the option to opt out this school year. 

Museo de Filipino trends on TikTok: A lowkey exposition of the dark past and secrets of the government

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Installed Tiktok again because of the trending “Museo De Filipino"

It's about time we see the awakened youth involved in spreading history, from both past and present, before this government revises it with their mis and dis information. 

Pepsi Paloma, Miriam Defensor Santiago, Jose Rizal, Reina Mae Nasino, Ferdinand Marcos, even farmers killed at Hacienda Luisita, and other heroes, victims, survivors, dead or alive, whether famous, infamous, nameless, .....it doesn't matter. They are among our tainted and celebrated history from the past, present, and inevitably the future, if we don't learn from them.

Museo De Filipino is trending on TikTok!

That's it, that's the content I've been looking for. Doesn't it give you chills? The trend speaks louder than the law. 

Now that is more interesting and educational to watch. I'm hoping the trend continues not just on TikTok but on other social media platforms because it educates people regarding Philippine history and some issues in our country, including how poor and shitty our government's justice system was and is. The goosebumps they bring while watching some of the TikTok videos are cringeworthy to experience.

We should all check this trend. It is an eye opener that brings awareness to the heroes of our country and you'll definitely learn from it. We can see how young generations are already well-educated. Pilipinas, rise up! Babangon tayo. 

This is definitely better than the young girls flaunting their cleavages and assess while dancing to a rhythm or beat.

The Museo de Filipino trend is exposing the governments dark past and secrets. The past is haunting us again...but they are no longer secrets per se as this government has blatantly normalizing these acts .....However, this shows that the youth is also aware of these injustices. They are spreading the word and fighting for our rights.

Knowing that majority of these videos were of innocent lives taken by the hands of unforgiving murderers sickens me and how the administration is a part of this unjust system truly angers me.

But not all portrayed were dead. Some of them were still current victims of this oppressive government like activist Reina Mae Nasino, redtagged and arrested as a terrorist who gave birth to her baby while in prison and unfortunately died because they were separated. Yet she remained well-guarded and handcuffed while attending the funeral. It reeks of the shocking double-standard this government gives to their convicted allies that were given more freedom and convenience.

We need to admit that this is the best trend among all the others we had in Tiktok. More contents like these please. This is a great way to discover unsung heroes of the Philippines.

What I didn't like was when those who portrayed Marcos as one of the best Presidents of the country. Maybe they meant it as a sarcasm? 

Overall, I kudos and salute to those TikTok users, mostly "awakened" youth, who were part of this trend.

Has it also opened your eyes to the truth that this government is now attempting to revise. We must not let them change history and keep the next generation in the dark. 

Our heroes from both the past and present fought against the injustices. They gave up their lives as a sacrifice so we could get our freedom. While many were also Innocents and collateral damages of this dreaded government.

This is a cool way to educate, but I am truly disappointed of how cold of the people who committed the crimes against humanity.

Thank you for using that social media platform to show that justice should be served.

Until now there are still people doing atrocious acts against their fellow beings and against the country. What will it take before we all realize that living an unjust life is not a LIFE worth living.