The fishermen of Puerto Morelos, on Mexico’s Caribbean coast, risk their lives every time they head out to sea to fish or dive for lobsters. Photograph: Ricardo HernándezHandline fishing is a traditional method that has long been used in the shallow waters near Puerto Morelos. As of 2020, 42.6 percent of the population in Puerto Morelos lived in poverty or extreme poverty, according to data from Mexico’s Secretariat of Economy. “However, there is still no solid evidence that the safety of seafood is compromised by microplastics. A greater understanding of the impacts of microplastics on seafood is urgently needed.”