Mediterranean Fisherman
Against Beirut’s rocky coastline, a solitary fisherman casts his line into the Mediterranean Sea. The July photo speaks to humanity’s ancient relationship with the ocean and the modern challenges of small-scale fishing. The Mediterranean’s fish populations face mounting pressure from warming waters and overfishing, yet traditional fishing methods persist. Local anglers rely on generations of knowledge about seasonal fish movements and weather patterns. Recent studies show that Mediterranean fish stocks have declined by 34% since 1950.