It is a sad fact that in the Med, the fish life is being rapidly depleted. We had evidence of that today - the boat suddenly slowed and the engine started to strain. We stopped and Graeme went swimming to see what he could find. Attached in a nice bundle around the propeller was the remains of a net which we had run over. We have line cutters on the propeller so the actual size of the original thing we hit will never be known, but I am positive that what we collected was just a very small percentage of one percent of the original size of the net.

The question was asked if I could see any fish when I was cutting away the net (which we saved and will dispose of properly). If the stories are to be believed, 20 years ago there would often be a fish or two swimming around a stopped boat in the Med. This is no longer the case. Technology has improved in the fishing business, but the fish have not. Larger and lighter nets mean bigger hauls and fish finding sonar makes it easier to target them. All this is applied so that the restaurants and public can get their fill of fish.

The oceans are not like farmland. The general consumer does not jump on a boat and go look at the sights in the ocean - see the equivalent of sheep, cows, orchards and vegetable gardens. Even if they do go boating, the nature of the ocean means that she keeps her fruits hidden at depths we can not see from the surface.

Sailers understand the cycle and can see what is happening - hopefully the public will before it becomes too late.

GR