Light Pollution at Sea
January 12, 2014
Photographer: Till Credner
Summary Authors: Till Credner; Jim Foster
Light pollution at sea has been a growing concern in recent years. Fishing vessels employ bright lights to attract fish and squid (Loligo vulgaris). The nearly blinding light shown above was photographed in the Adriatic Sea off the island of Lastovo, Croatia. The public lighting on Lastovo is switched off at 30 minutes past midnight in order to minimize light pollution. However, the glaring lights of a boat such as the one above (invisible because of the bright light) operate with a power of 12,000 watts, ruining the darkness of the night sky. This type of fishing is prohibited in some countries and may seriously deplete available fish stocks as well as create light pollution.