In its World Fisheries Day message, the Vatican called for global action to protect marine ecosystems and support communities dependent on fisheries for their livelihoods and environmental sustainability.
“The harm done to our common home by an aggressive and divisive economic model can be said to have directly affected the life and future of millions of human beings who make their living from fishing,” Cardinal Michael Czerny, prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, said in his message.
The church celebrates World Fisheries Day 2024, whose theme is “Let the waters bring forth swarms of living creatures,” a motto inspired by the passage in the Book of Genesis (Gen 1:20). World Fisheries Day, observed annually on November 21, is a global initiative focused on raising awareness about the critical issues facing marine and freshwater ecosystems. The day aims to draw attention to overfishing, habitat destruction, pollution, and other serious threats that jeopardize the sustainability of aquatic resources.
“Let the waters bring forth swarms of living creatures,” a verse from Genesis, serves as a profound reminder of God’s design for creation and humanity’s responsibility to protect it,” Cardinal Czerny said. He also stressed how the waters symbolized instability and restlessness, reflecting the human condition and the complex challenges of balancing human needs with environmental protection. However, he emphasized that despite these difficulties, “the covenant between heaven and earth is solid,” offering hope and a foundation for a better future.
With over 58 million people involved in the field of fisheries and aquaculture around the world, the cardinal points out that fishing, one of humanity’s oldest forms of labor, has seen dramatic changes in recent decades. The practice of intensive, industrial-scale fishing, fueled by the rise of technology and driven by economic interests, has caused severe damage to ecosystems that many communities depend on for survival. Cardinal Czerny warned that these practices are endangering the very balance that has existed for centuries between human labor and the natural world. “The creative command—’Let the waters bring forth swarms of living creatures’—has been violated by intensive fishing,” he said, calling attention to the exclusion of traditional fishers who have long cared for the seas, rivers, and lakes that sustain their communities.
While these economic forces harm ecosystems and leave many communities vulnerable, particularly those already facing poverty and marginalization, the church stands in solidarity with those suffering from these injustices. “Christians cannot look the other way when entire ecosystems are menaced by practices that prove devastating,” the cardinal said. Czerny acknowledged the importance of fraternity and encounter as a response to these global crises, echoing the recent Synodal Assembly’s message about a united approach to confronting the issues of our time.