hankyoreh

One of the protesters wearing a fish mask pretends to be a fish in a fishing net in a street performance staged after the press conference. (Lee Jong-keun/The Hankyoreh)

Members of the Korean Vegetarian Union, Citizens United for Vegan World and the Vegan World held a press conference Wednesday in Seoul to call for an end to commercial fishing. The members said, “Commercial fishing has obliterated 90 percent of large fish and killed a countless number of dolphins, sharks, turtles and other sea creatures.” They also claimed that “fishing ropes, nets and other fishing-related waste account for 46% of marine waste.”

Members of the Korean Vegetarian Union, the Citizens United for Vegan World and the Vegan World hold a press conference Wednesday in Seoul to call for an end to commercial fishing. (Lee Jong-keun/The Hankyoreh)

The attendees called for an end to the consumption of seafood, adding that “commercial fishing will lead to the total decimation of all fish species by 2048 at its current rate, with 2.7 trillion fish caught a year and 4.5 million fishing vessels in operation.”

Members of the Korean Vegetarian Union, the Citizens United for Vegan World and the Vegan World hold a press conference Wednesday in Seoul to call for an end to commercial fishing. (Lee Jong-keun/The Hankyoreh)

After the press conference, the attendees staged a street performance where one of the members wearing a fish mask pretended to be a fish in a fishing net. They also delivered their statement to the Blue House.

Members of the Korean Vegetarian Union, the Citizens United for Vegan World and the Vegan World hold a press conference Wednesday in Seoul to call for an end to commercial fishing. (Lee Jong-keun/The Hankyoreh)

By Lee Jong-keun, staff photographer

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