(Don’t) Go Fish
By Scott Badenoch, Jr.
Filed Under The Big Picture |
As the environmental movement grows by leaps and bounds, conscious people are figuring out that a predominantly vegetarian diet is best for the environment and global food stocks. Why has fish not entered this equation? We’re still digging into our wild alaskan salmon and our yellowtail sashimi like they’re going out of style. Well, they’ve been going out of style-in a major way. Sushi lovers, marine life enthusiasts, fishermen, and any human with a pulsing heart-we have some very harsh news for you. The oceans are literally in a state of collapse.
According to a report in the scientific journal Nature, 90% of the world’s big fish populations, including tuna, swordfish, marlin and large groundfish, such as cod, halibut, skate and flounder, are gone. The report goes on to say that there is almost nowhere in the world’s oceans that is not suffering massively from ecological collapse. Says Ransom Myers, a fisheries biologist at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia and lead author of the study, “I think the point is there is nowhere left in the ocean not overfished.”
The co-author of the study, Boris Worm, said the loss of big fish and overabundance of fishing has massively destructive effects on the ecosystem as a whole. The hope of the two scientists was that this study would serve as a wake up call to individuals, governments, fishing companies and wildlife organizations. “People haven’t before seen how bad this is,” said Worm. “It doesn’t make any sense, economically or ecologically, to ignore this…These are the megafauna, the big predators of the sea, and the species we most value. Their depletion not only threatens the future of these fish and the fishers that depend on them, it could also bring about a complete re-organization of ocean ecosystems, with unknown global consequences.”
Marine biologist and National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence Sylvia Earle said, “I don’t blame the fishermen for this,” she said. “We, the consumers, have done this because we have a taste for fish and ‘delicacies’ such as shark-fin soup. Our demand for seafood appears to be insatiable…Most people also don’t know how bad it is for us to be eating so much fish, not only because of the destruction of an ecosystem vital to survival but also because the big predatory fish are full of the toxins and other pollutants that we cast into the oceans. It’s not as healthy to eat fish as most people believe.”
Is there any way to turn this catastrophic situation around?
Several U.S. and Canadian reports claim to see a steady improvement in their local fisheries, though these claims have often been questioned by the scientific community. The good news is that many fisheries and governmental bodies are recognizing the problem and looking for solutions. Myers suggests restoring stocks to a higher abundance. “We could get just as much fish out of the ocean by putting in only one-third to one-tenth of the effort,” he said. “It would be difficult for fishermen initially, but they will see the gains in the long run.”
Other groups have called for preserving whole swaths of ocean from any fishing, eliminating fishing industry subsidies, and limiting unintended “bycatch” (25% or more fishing hauls are caught by accident, then discarded dead into the sea.)
While the current state of things sounds rather disheartening, Worm pointed to several solutions. For instance, when laws have made certain fishing areas have been made off limits, there have been great regenerative results to the fish populations. “In most regions we saw increases in faster-growing species which seemed to fill in for overfished stocks. This points to the recovery potential for the community at large. But unfortunately we often switch fishing pressure to species that are doing well, and drive them down in turn. This sabotages recovery.”
So, what really is the solution? Simply, lay off the fish. If we cut down on fish consumption (and pollution) in a major way, the fish populations will recover. If we keep fishing at current rates-prepare for mass extinction of our ocean’s greatest residents.
Veggie burger, anyone?
Do you want to make oceans safe for its own residents again? Take action!
- Eliminate or greatly reduce your fish intake
- If you must eat fish, check out Blue Ocean Institute’s Guide To Ocean Friendly Seafood
- The acidity of the ocean due to pollution is killing sea life-encourage your Senator to cap greenhouse gas emissions to protect our oceans
- If you are very passionate ocean conservation, become a Super Activist with Ocean Conservancy or Oceana
Scott Badenoch is the CEO of Creative Citizen, an online source for sharing creative solutions to achieve global effects. Scott is a member of the steering committee for Green Business Networking as well as the LA chapter of the Business Alliance for Local Living Economies (BALLE).
Posted on June 19, 2008 |
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4 Responses to “(Don’t) Go Fish”
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One reader just said to me, “well then I’ll stick to shrimp.” Maybe I need to write a follow up article, but this is NOT a good alternative. In fact, shrimp are the worst thing you can eat, period.
The warmwater shrimp fishery:
* accounts for one third of the bycatch in the world’s oceans (10 pounds of bycatch for every pound of shrimp),
* reduces the Oceans’ biodiversity and puts dozens of species in danger of extinction,
* in general does not use the Nordmore grate and does little to reduce the amount of bycatch it generates,
* is responsible for the destruction of mangroves and is the cause of much social injustice (farmed shrimp),
* endangers our local industry by the dumping of cheap products, which are not caught or produced in an ethical manner.
Buy Green Fish:
http://www.creativecitizen.com/solutions/225-Buy-Green-Fish-
I am a vegetarian. When I talk to people who eat meat, I always tell them that if they are going to eat meat, fish is the best. My opinion has changed. For the reasons outlined in the article, fish has its own risks to the environment and people’s health. I stand corrected. Very informative article!
so helpful, particularly for those women out there who are pregnant! thanks for the great post and comments…