Long-Lines

Long-lining is one of the most widespread methods of fishing. Ships unreel as much as 75 miles of line bristling with hundreds of thousands of baited hooks. The hooks are dragged behind the boats at varying depths or are kept afloat by buoys and left overnight, luring animals in the area to grab a free meal and instantly tangling them in a web of barbed hooks. Once hooked, some animals drown or bleed to death in the water, and many others struggle for hours until the boat returns to reel them in. Billions of fish, sharks, sea turtles, dolphins, birds, and other marine animals are injured and killed by long-lines each year.