According to a United Nations report, every year 6.4 million tonnes of fishing gear are discarded or lost in oceans and seas with the various types of net being the most dangerous to marine life. I know our seas are vast but that's an awful lot of traps waiting to catch whatever comes along. There are many casualties of this "ghost gear" including whales, dolphins, seals, turtles and a wide range of birds. And this is on top of the marine animals that die as bycatch during the actual fishing operations themselves only to be dumped back into the sea, dead. Both nets and baited lures continue to be a problem and it's being driven by our desire for cheap seafood. I know I am also guilty like so many others of pretending not to see the full picture.
This illustration of a lovable puffin with a fishing lure in its beak alongside several sand eels is one possible scenario. Whoever lost the insignificant little lure complete with its efficient hook designed to be near impossible for an animal to escape probably thought only of the cost and inconvenience. No casualties here yet but its chick is in for a nasty surprise.
I am very happy with the look of this picture, bright and colourful as a nice contrast to the real subject. My favourite part is the way the bird is stepping on its own foot. They are, after all, sometimes known unfairly as "clowns of the sea".
Artwork available at my Redbubble shop.
