Submitting to the fact that fisheries have gone down in sustainability since Jesus and his disciples were around, the Israeli government has imposed a two-year ban on all fishing in the Sea of Galilee.
The fish stocks in the Sea of Galilee – actually a freshwater lake and Israel’s main source of water – have been fished since Biblical time, but have plummeted dramatically in recent years.
The agriculture ministry blames the drop on overfishing and the use of illegal nets that trap young fish and prevent stocks from maturing. Migratory birds which feed on the fish have also been on the rise.
“We will support the fishermen and make sure the lake is restocked with fish,” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu promised as he announced the decision.
According to the Bible, several of Jesus’ disciples were professional fishermen working the Sea of Galilee, and on its shore he fed 5,000 people with two fishes and five loaves of barley bread, an example-setting act of sustainable fisheries.