“There are plenty of fish in the sea.” That analogy may not be as comforting as you think. In past times, that sentence in its literal meaning may have been true, but unfortunately it is far from the truth these days. With overfishing affecting almost 80% of fisheries worldwide, we may in this lifetime see a world without fish.
The world currently has a population of close to eight billion people and close to three billion people rely on seafood as their primary source of protein. Seafood was once gathered by individuals on small boats or wakas, for the purpose of feeding their family or village. Since then, fisheries have become one of the biggest sectors worldwide, in which fleets of massive fishing vessels, capable of processing and holding up to 7,000 tonnes of frozen fish, are on the oceans daily. Not only are unsustainable amounts of seafood being harvested, but by-catch is estimated to be approximately 40%. Rules and regulations only allow fishing boats to catch their targeted species; marine mammals affected by bycatch are sometimes thrown back into the ocean dead or dying. In land-based productions of any kind, if only 60% of the product was able to be sold and the remainder was deposed of, the company would be unlikely to survive.
Sustainable fishing methods exist, and certain fisheries do better than others at adhering to sustainable practices. As consumers we must use our power to influence their behavior to change it. You can do this by knowing where your seafood comes from and choosing sustainable products. Simply asking the restaurant or supplier where their seafood came from can make a difference. A business will follow profitable trends. Forest & Bird put out a guide on smart seafood choices which can be downloaded: https://www.forestandbird.org.nz/…/Best%20Fish%20Guide…. It is also available in a mobile app. Many countries publish lists on the most sustainable seafood choices applicable to their area and seafood stocks. A quick google search will bring up these lists.
If we can change our habits and save marine life – we will save ourselves. I dream of a world where generations to come will have “plenty of fish in the sea”.