Non-profit, non-governmental organization Animal Friends Croatia together with Eurogroup for Animals initiated a new campaign this summer named Respect Our Sea. The aim is to educate our citizens as well as tourists about our sea and respecting all life in it.
According to the research from 2006 life in the sea will completely disappear by 2048 if we don’t change our behavior towards living ocean creatures. Adriatic sea is especially endangered because of the multiple factors such as excessive fishing, climate change, pollution and outrageous tourism. The biggest reduction in sea life, to even 50%, was recorded at west Mediterranean sea and north Adriatic.
One of the issues this campaign wants to highlight is fishing along the coast, it’s something that needs to and can be changed! Apart from injuring the fish, hooks are dangerous to swimmers as well. It is important to have in mind that you can enjoy sea and beaches without interrupting sea residents. Something we should teach our children is to observe the animals, take care of the cleanness of their habitats and to help stranded sea animal by returning them back to the sea rather than to catch and injure them.
According to Regulation on Sport and Recreational Fishing on the Sea (Official Gazzete no. 122/17 and 12/18) it is not allowed to hunt sea animals without a permit.
Animal Friends is an organization founded in 2001 with the goal to promote animal protection and animal rights as well as veganism, as ethical, ecological and healthy lifestyle. They have carried out hundreds of campaigns and activities and this one is just one in a row. Let’s all respect our sea and life in it so our children can enjoy all the beauties of it!