Articles tagged as Fishing | Smithsonian Magazine

Whether or not fish feel pain has been debated for years. But the balance of evidence says yes. Now the question is, what do we do about it?

It’s Official: Fish Feel Pain

The verdict is in. But will our oceanic friends ever get the same legal protections as land animals?

January 8, 2018

The unprecedented late-season bloom may be linked to warming waters and could be a preview of things to come

January 5, 2018

Coast guard officers in Costa Rica say they’re understaffed and overwhelmed. “We’re just order,” says Colonel Miguel Madrigal. “Not the law.”

An Unexpected Victim of Costa Rica’s Drug Trade: Fish

The archipelago was once synonymous with tourism, sustainability and biodiversity. Now collapsing fisheries have led to turmoil

December 28, 2017

International waters face threats from overfishing, mining, pollution and climate change and the new treaty may help preserve marine biodiversity

December 26, 2017

In Fallujah, ISIS blew up this bridge during its 2016 retreat.

History of Now

What Does the Future of the Euphrates Spell for the Middle East?

In the wake of the war against Isis in Iraq, an ominous journey along the once-mighty river finds a new crisis lurking in the shallows

December 2017

Using seal bombs to deter marine mammals is legal, though using them to round up target species is not.

Why California Fishermen Are Throwing Deafening “Seal Bombs” at Sea Lions

…and why no one is stopping them

November 21, 2017

In a bid to stop the populations from dwindling, scientists are turning to big data

November 17, 2017

Whaling captured the popular imagination.

The Real-Life Whale That Gave Moby Dick His Name

Mocha Dick had encounters with around 100 ships before he was finally killed

October 18, 2017

570 stone weirs dot the coastline of Penghu.

These Massive Land Art Constructions Are Actually Ancient Fishing Weirs

Stone tidal traps were built off the coast of Taiwan as early as the Qing Dynasty

September 13, 2017

Salmon aquaculture often uses large nets like this one in a Salmon farm in Norway.

Thousands of Invasive Salmon Escape From Farm in Pacific Northwest

Officials are urging fishers to catch the salmon in the waters off Washington

August 24, 2017

One of the mine-hunting dolphins being retrained to find vaquita porpoises

Mine-hunting dolphins will help researchers transfer the remaining creatures into marine sanctuaries

July 5, 2017

This adorable orca could be plotting its next heist.

Hungry orcas are making off with tens of thousands of pounds of cod and halibut

June 22, 2017

The American Lobster, 'Homarus americanus,' found on the northern area of the Atlantic coast of America.

Climate Change, and Cod, Are Causing One Heck of a Lobster Boom in Maine

The complex relationships between humans, lobster, and cod are creating boom times—for now

June 15, 2017

Marine algae blooms like these in the northern Ross Sea are often vast enough to be visible from space.

Future of Conservation

Who Owns Antarctica’s Pristine Oceans?

How humans finally stopped squabbling and protected one of the world’s most pristine marine areas

June 12, 2017

A raccoon butterflyfish on a coral reef in Egypt's Red Sea. The vast majority of aquarium fish come from countries with known cyanide fishing problems.

Future of Conservation

Soon, You Could Be Able to Tell if Your Aquarium Fish Was Caught With Cyanide

A new handheld detector aims to root out this widespread, destructive practice

May 11, 2017

Seahorses are valued for their use in traditional medicine.

The Secret Massacre of Millions of Seahorses

Millions of seahorses meet their doom each year as by-catch in a fisherman’s net. Less-charming fish may share the same fate

April 18, 2017

Fish leave bits of DNA behind that researchers can collect.

Scientists Can Tell What Fish Live Where Based On DNA in the Water

A new study of the Hudson River estuary tracked spring migration of ocean fish by collecting water samples

April 13, 2017

Two vessels rendezvous off the coast of Argentina in a likely transshipment.

Fighting Illegal Fishing With Big Data

Global Fishing Watch is using satellite data to monitor suspicious ship activity on the high seas

February 28, 2017

A new study on grey reef sharks turned up a few surprises.

New Research

Ocean Preserves Keep Fishing Boats Away from Grey Reef Sharks

Scientists tracked hundreds of reef sharks to find that massive marine refuges can work—with one caveat

February 2, 2017

This year we've seen swelling efforts to protect vast swaths of ocean. Are they scientifically sound?

Do Ocean Preserves Actually Work?

The U.S. now leads the world in protected marine areas. But are they a scientifically sound strategy?

January 5, 2017