If you’ve finally purchased that fishing boat for sale in your local boat dealership, you probably couldn’t wait to get to the ocean and catch fish, snorkel in shallow waters, do island hopping, or just cruise the clear blue waters of the sea. There are countless fun and stimulating activities to do on a boat while you’re out and about in the open waters, take time to step back and reflect on trying to maintain the pristine conditions of the ocean. It’s such a wondrous resource of the earth and home to a million organisms. It’s also where people catch food to survive and if marine life is extinct, not only do we have less food to eat but also it can cause drastic negative changes in our planet that will lead to its deterioration. Overfishing, killing marine big marine animals, illegal fishing, overuse of fossil fuel energy, and water and land pollution, are just some of the concerns relating to marine life. However, we can do something that will help mitigate the effects of these harmful activities.

Fish conservation is one of the activities we can do to help save Mother Earth and conserve the number of fishes in the ocean and save their habitat as well. Here are some ways that you can do your part in saving the marine ecosystem:

Educate yourself on marine life

Spend some time learning about marine wildlife and knowing which species are endangered and why they are crucial in the ecosystem. Having extensive knowledge and understanding regarding marine wildlife will help you have the motivation to take part in helping conserve their habitat.

Practice the catch-and-release method

If you participate in game fishing activities, it can be an exhilarating experience especially if you’re lucky enough to catch one of the most elusive fish on the planet. However, with so many anglers participating in these events, billfish species, tend to lessen in numbers. Fortunately, there are laws regulating this and anglers are now more aware and conscious of their actions. Anglers catch fish they are vying to get, take a picture with it, and release it gently back into the water. Furthermore, there are even regulations in some places that game fishing events should be done at a certain season only.

If you’re catching fish as a hobby and you’re not planning on making a meal out of it, it’s best to release them back into the water. Certain fish species don’t reproduce as much as others and once they are endangered, it will pose threats to the balance of their ecosystem.

Clean as you go

Make sure wherever you go and whatever you do, leave the place behind exactly as you found it. Dispose of your trash properly and practice recycling items as much as you can. Never litter and never throw your trash on the water. Have a trash receptacle in your fishing boat where you can throw all your rubbish in it.

Reduce using single-use plastics such as grocery bags, straws, water bottles, and even utensils such as forks and spoons. Millions of kilos of plastic are dumped in the ocean which negatively affects marine life and kills them and their habitat as well. Not only that, but it also takes for plastics to break down and these objects are made up of toxic chemicals that are harmful to fish and other marine wildlife. Use reusable items to lessen the consumption of single-use plastics.

Aside from plastics, avoid disposing of your fishing lines in the ocean. These lines are made with monofilament fibre which takes centuries to degrade. These lines can entangle marine animals such as whales, big fishes, turtles, and dolphins, just to name a few.

Also, avoid the practice of releasing balloons out in the open air. These balloons will eventually end up in the ocean which will then float onto the surface and some marine animals, clueless to its material, can mistake them for food and swallow them. Just pop your balloons and throw them in rubbish bins.

Support marine life conservation activities

You can further your part in saving the ocean by joining and supporting causes that help conserve fish species and marine life. Join a clean-up event in your area or volunteer on expeditions with a group of marine biologists to explore ways how to save endangered marine species. Share your learning with others. Educate them in a kind and helpful manner and encourage them to do the same.