We might soon lose the Maltese Skate (Leucoraja Melitensis). Why? You guessed it, because of us humans. This endemic species is critically endangered. Where it lives (60m to 600m depth) is trawled for shrimp, red mullet and prawns, meaning it’s a death zone. Trawling is a brute form of fishing, catching everything in the net’s path. The Maltese Skate is an unfortunate victim.

Bycatch is a huge problem worldwide. Millions of tons of fish and other animals are caught and then discarded. This fish’s situation  is  even worse as it might die out without having ever been known. With trawling occurring on a daily basis, and its population numbers going down, its days are numbered.

Nature thrives off genetic variation

But should we care about this species? Why does an unknown skate matter? Would the Mediterranean Sea even notice? For conservation to be nature-based, we can’t fix human problems only for human benefit. There are species whose existence doesn’t directly increase our financial capital, but this doesn’t make them dispensable. Ignoring the fact that nature thrives off genetic variation, our moral conscience should value and respect the existence of other lifeforms.

Evolution has shaped every species throughout the eons, giving them distinct, incredible characteristics and a particular role in nature. To see them disappear weakens biodiversity, which re­duces the health of an ecosystem. Unhealthy seas will have fewer fish that we want to eat. But it would also be a tragedy. 

Humans are incredible creatures. We’ve explored everything from outer space to the very atoms that make us. But our undeniable abilities do not mean we’ve outgrown nature. Healthy seas need different species. Without them our re­sources and planet will become a much worse place to live on. Humans need to clean up the current mess. And we can start by caring about a little skate.

For eating fish sustainably read: www.fish4tomorrow.com/quickfish-guide | Gail Sant is performing a Jobs+ Work Placement Scheme with Think Magazine. www.um.edu.mt/think

Did you know?

• Ketchup was sold as a medicine to cure indigestion in the 19th century.

• Hot and cold water sound different when poured.

• Scientists have discovered a jellyfish (Turritopsis dohrnii) that doesn’t age.

• Honey doesn’t go bad when sealed properly.

• Hundreds of earthquakes occur daily! They’re just too mild for us to notice.

For more trivia see: www.um.edu.mt/think

Sound bites

• The Vampire squid isn’t a squid… and just in case it needs clarification, it’s not a vampire either. The Vampyroteuthis infernalis, which literally translates to ‘vampire squid from hell’, has characteristics of both squid and octopuses, putting it in a unique group of animals or order where it’s the only known living species, the Vampyromorphida.

• The sun sounds like a pot of boiling water – a very big one. As the sun’s surface is convecting (moving around because of heat), pockets of gas speed out of the sun’s core and reach the solar surface, generating a sound wave with a very low wavelength, which we obviously don’t hear.

For more science news, listen to Radio Mocha on Radju Malta and Radju Malta 2 www.fb.com/RadioMochaMalta/