Malaria is a life-threatening mosquito-borne disease, with over 90% of its cases located in

Africa. Although it is curable, many people in Africa to don’t have the means to get the cure, so
preventing it is preferable. Public health campaigns have been distributing free mosquito nets
to combat this issue; however, some of the recipients have been using the nets for an
unintended purpose: fishing.
These light and strong mesh nets have been used for trapping fish, yet they have severe
consequences for organisms in the waterways. Because the nets have been treated with
insecticides to repel mosquitos, these insecticides mix into the waterways. Although the
chemicals don’t majorly effect humans, the populations of fish and other cold-blooded animals
can be destroyed with continued use.
Not only are the fish dying, the livelihoods of fishermen have also been put in jeopardy. The
fishing nets also trap young fish, meaning that fish stocks won’t be able to grow back fast
enough. This threatens the sustainability of fish populations being able to provide for future
generations, as fish is one of their main sources of food, and continuous use of these mosquito
nets will permanently ruin the waters for their survival.
Even though the persistent use of the nets can endanger food sources for the future, as well as
not protect them from the possibility of malaria, people still prioritize the short term needs of
food over the long term goals of sustainability and not contracting malaria.