Fisheries in Crisis. Vol 4 No.1

World populations are crazy for seafood and we’re eating it in record numbers. According to the World Resources Institute, consumption of fish and fishery products has risen by 240 percent since 1960. That equates to about 91 million tonnes of seafood that is consumed yearly - more than beef and poultry combined.

So, what’s the problem?

 According to the United Nations (UN) approximately 70 percent of global fish populations are now depleted, overfished or on the brink of being overfished. Pollution, habitat destruction and overfishing (fishing faster than a population can replenish) all contribute to this dramatic decline. Major shifts in ocean temperature, such as El Niño events and decadal oscillations also contribute to declines in fish stocks – particularly when management practices do not take this into account.

But it’s not just seafood that’s at risk. By-catch - a result of commercial fishing practices - ensnares millions of non-target fish species as well as sea turtles, sea birds and sharks each year via hooks, lines and nets. This unwanted catch is seldom reported as the marine life is discarded back into the ocean. Scientists estimate that 27 million tons of by-catch nearly one third of the total world fish catch, goes unreported. And the International Whaling Commission reports that these numbers include between 65,000 and 80,000 whales, dolphins, seals and other marine mammals.

Seafood is vital to more than 200 million people who depend on fisheries for both nutrition and their livelihood. But fish population declines can also alter the health of marine environments around the world. “It’s imperative that the global community come together to eliminate the use of the most destructive forms of industrial fishing before it is too late,” states Sylvia Earle, world renowned marine biologist and Project AWARE Foundation Honorary Board of Governors member.

  Project AWARE Foundation’s Sustainable Fisheries public awareness campaign aims to educate public audiences about the urgent call for improved fisheries management and conservation and also provides ways to help.

The good news is that consumers have the power to conserve fish stocks. Project AWARE challenges consumers to use this power to help conserve underwater environments, improve management of diminished species and preserve fisheries for future generations. Visit the Project AWARE website to download a sustainable seafood wallet guide and learn how, by following 10 simple steps, you can have a positive impact on sustainable fisheries. Stay tuned to Project AWARE for more information on what you can do to support sustainable fisheries.

www.projectaware.org/asiapac/english/educations/10Things.asp