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Corona launches the world’s first-ever ‘plastic fishing’ competition

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Oxford, UK
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The beer company Corona recruited fishermen to take part in the world’s first ‘plastic fishing’ competition in Mexico.

The event, which was in collaboration with the agency We Believers, saw 80 fishermen compete to make the biggest ‘catch’ of plastic waste off the coast of Mazatlán, Mexico.

Collectively, the fishermen rescued nearly three tons of plastic (about the weight of two cars) with the winner pulling in about 815 pounds and earning $14,800 pesos, the equivalent of a month’s wages.

Whilst it was only the top three fishermen who received money directly from the competition (second and third winning 10,000 and 5,000 peso respectively), the other participants also benefited.

Corona and We Believers hooked them up with Mexico Recicla, the country’s largest recycling company, who paid them for their hauls at rates much higher than they would be for fish.

According to Gustavo Lauria, co-founder of We Believers, Mexico Recicla will be using the plastic to make tools that fishermen use on a daily basis. The company is also in discussion to formalise this arrangement and provide long-term secondary income for the fishermen.

The popularity of the competition has led other Mexican fishing communities to reach out to Corona to bring it to their areas.

Lauria explained the idea behind the competition. ‘When fishermen turn to the ocean, they find way more plastic than fish and the fish they catch are way smaller than those they captured a decade ago.’

This alternative ‘fishing’ will create a ‘new source of income for their communities.’

The contest follows Corona’s earlier claims that it is the first beverage industry to become ‘net-zero plastic’, meaning that it is not recovering more plastic from the environment that it generates.

In 2018, the brand entered into a partnership with environmental organisation Parley for the Oceans to help combat marine plastic pollution.

So far, they have conducted over 1,400 clean-ups with nearly 70,000 volunteers and are developing new technology to turn barley into paper packaging to reduce waste.

The potential of competitions such as this cannot be understated. More than 750 million plastic containers end up in the sea every year, everyone must take a stand and get involved, including big corporations.

Moreover, the effects of global warming and pollution affect the Global South much more than the Global North, despite the latter being responsible for 92% of emissions. It is vital that the fight against climate change actively involves and benefits these communities too.

Writer Oxford, UK

Hi! I’m Georgie (She/Her). I am currently studying History at the University of Oxford and hope to go into journalism. I enjoy reading and going on marches for all things intersectionality, feminism, and climate justice. Visit my LinkedIn and view my Twitter.

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