Find uplifting stories about heroes, innovations, and solutions
210 results for "fishermen"
Tamil Nadu's Chief Minister is pushing India's foreign minister to bring home 90 fishermen and 254 boats held by Sri Lankan authorities. Diplomatic efforts are now underway to end the repeated detentions that have devastated coastal families.
Lost fishing nets trap marine life for years in "ghost gear graveyards," but a new European project is arming fishermen with tracking tech to find and recover them. Scientists and fishermen are teaming up to clean the ocean floor one net at a time.
Twenty-four fishermen in Liberia's Grand Kru County just received free outboard engines for staying current on their taxes. The government hopes the reward will encourage more fishermen to meet their obligations while boosting the local economy.
%2Ffile%2Fattachments%2Forphans%2FWFD_1409_793823.jpg)
At South Africa's Bloemhof Dam, three dedicated fishermen wake before dawn each day to catch and sell fresh fish, building sustainable livelihoods while feeding their communities. Their work shows how resilience and resourcefulness create opportunity from natural resources.
A fishing village in Hainan, China has transformed routine fishing trips into environmental action by encouraging fishermen to collect marine waste while at sea. What was once just a day's work now doubles as an ocean cleanup mission. #
Two fishermen survived five days adrift in the Pacific Ocean by clinging to a cooler until the Mexican Navy found them alive. Both men have been reunited with their families after their incredible rescue.
Local fishermen and conservationists transformed 310 miles of Turkey's Mediterranean coast into thriving marine sanctuaries, bringing back endangered sharks and seals while boosting fishing catches. What started as one small protected bay in 2012 became 18 no-fishing zones by 2023.
Students from Pune helped fishermen on India's Konkan coast turn toxic engine waste into earnings while keeping nearly 3,000 liters of harmful oil out of the ocean. The simple system created jobs and protected the fish that feed coastal communities.
Egypt's government arrested fishermen who illegally caught a rare whale shark after videos of the incident sparked public outrage online. The swift action shows how citizen activism and government cooperation can protect endangered marine life.
Commercial fishermen in Hawaii have hauled 185,000 pounds of abandoned fishing gear from the Pacific Ocean in just over three years, getting paid to clean up while they work. The innovative program turns routine fishing trips into ocean rescue missions, preventing deadly ghost nets from strangling marine life and destroying coral reefs.
Three fishermen stranded in a steep river canyon after their boat capsized walked away without a scratch thanks to quick-thinking rescuers. An emergency text from an Apple device helped first responders locate them along Idaho's Fall River.
Greek fishermen will now earn money for catching toxic pufferfish that have been destroying their nets and threatening their livelihoods. The EU-funded program pays up to €5.33 per kilo while helping control an invasive species wreaking havoc in Mediterranean waters.
Two Tasmanian fishermen turned a boat fire disaster into their own rescue after burning their boots, ropes, and buoys to create a smoke signal that led rescuers straight to them. Their unconventional survival move worked, ending an eight-hour ordeal at sea.
Commercial fishermen in North Carolina are cleaning up dangerous abandoned crab pots that threaten marine life and boaters. Since 2014, they've recovered more than 24,000 lost traps from coastal waters.
%2Fhttps%3A%2F%2Ftf-cmsv2-smithsonianmag-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Ffiler_public%2F1a%2Fed%2F1aed8796-4c74-426f-8f8c-274fb92e70f9%2Fhalibut.jpg)
Six ice fishermen in Quebec battled freezing temperatures and a two-hour struggle to reel in a massive 244-pound Atlantic halibut, breaking the regional record while helping scientists understand these mysterious fish. The catch will provide crucial data about migration patterns in the Saguenay Fjord while feeding the team that made it happen.
Two Massachusetts fishermen battled for three hours to reel in a massive 1,260-pound Atlantic blue marlin, setting a state record and possibly the largest ever caught in the Western Atlantic. The catch happened in waters usually too cold for these giants, making it even more remarkable.
Indonesian scientists have cracked the code on turning worthless plastic trash into boat fuel, giving fishing communities a cheaper alternative to diesel while cleaning up ocean waste. The technology is already being tested in coastal villages across the archipelago.
A fisherman in India destroyed his own $2,500 net to free a trapped whale shark, calling it "like my daughter." Two decades ago, he would have killed it for profit.
When their fishing boat sank 139 kilometers off the Queensland coast, two men and their dog Smokey faced a terrifying night at sea. A Chinese bulk carrier turned back to save them, proving that compassion knows no borders.
When 90 critically endangered North Atlantic right whales appeared unexpectedly off New Hampshire's coast, Maine lobstermen made a choice that saved lives. They voluntarily pulled their fishing lines to protect the whales, proving that fishermen and conservationists can work together.
Showing 20 of 210