f over ishing
WHAT IS OVERFISHING
“
WHAT CAN WE DO TO HELP
WHY IS IT A PROBLEM
By the end of the 20th century, up to 90 percent of the sharks, tuna, swordfish, marlins, groupers, turtles, whales, and many other large creatures that prospered in the Gulf for millions of years had been depleted by overfishing.
“
OTHER CAMPAIGNS
DONATE
GET INVOLVED MAKE A DIFFERENCE
WHAT IS OVERFISHING
Overfishing occurs when more fish are caught than the population can replace through natural reproduction. Gathering as many fish as possible may seem like a profitable practice, but overfishing has serious consequences. The results not only affect the balance of life in the oceans, but also the social and economic well-being of the coastal communities who depend on fish for their way of life. More than 85 percent of the world's fisheries have been pushed to or beyond their biological limits and are in need of strict management plans to restore them. Several important commercial fish populations (such as Atlantic bluefin tuna) have declined to the point where their survival as a species is threatened. Target fishing of top predators, such as tuna and groupers, is changing marine communities, which lead to an abundance of smaller marine species, such as sardines and anchovies.
WHY IS IT A PROBLEM? POOR FISHERIES MANAGEMENT A lack of management oversight, government regulations, and traceability of fishing activities has long been a problem in the fishing industry. Current rules and regulations are not strong enough to limit fishing capacity to a sustainable level. This is particularly the case for the high seas, where there are few international fishing regulations, and those that exist are not always implemented or enforced. Many fisheries management bodies are not able to adequately incorporate scientific advice on fish quotas, and customs agencies and retailers cannot always ensure that the fish entering their country is caught legally and in a sustainable way.
52% of fish stocks are fully exploited 20% are moderately exploited 17% are overexploited 7% are depleted 1% is recovering from depletion The above shows that over 25% of all the world's fish stocks are either overexploited or depleted. Another 52% is fully exploited, these are in imminent danger of overexploitation (maximum sustainable production level) and collapse. Thus a total of almost 80% of the world's fisheries are fully- to over-exploited, depleted, or in a state of collapse. Worldwide about 90% of the stocks of large predatory fish stocks are already gone.
ILLEGAL FISHING One key dimension of the overfishing crisis is illegal, unregulated, and unreported fishing. It occurs across all types of fisheries, within national and international waters, and small scale to large industrialized operations. Illegal fishing accounts for an estimated 20% of the world’s catch and as much as 50% in some fisheries. The costs of illegal fishing are significant, with the value of pirate fish products estimated at between $10-23.5 billion annually.
We are losing species as well as entire ecosystems. As a result the overall ecological unity of our oceans are under stress and at risk of collapse. We are in risk of losing a valuable food source many depend upon for social, economical or dietary reasons.
LACK OF PROTECTED AREAS Just 1.6% of the world's oceans have been declared as marine protected areas (MPAs), and 90% of existing MPAs are open to fishing. MPAs are important because they protect habitats such as coral reefs from destructive fishing practices. No-take zones allow depleted fish populations to recover and provide refuge for endangered species such as marine turtles. Protected areas allow stressed reefs the ability to recover from climate change impacts, such as bleaching. These benefits translate to improved food security for people who rely on the ocean for their daily sustenance and livelihoods.
WHAT CAN WE DO? Every long-term successful and sustainable fishery, near-shore or high-seas, needs to be managed according to some basic ground rules: Safe catch limits A constantly reassessed, scientifically determined, limit on the total number of fish caught and landed by a fishery. Politics and short time economical incentives should have no role in this. Controls on bycatch The use of techniques or management rules to prevent the unintentional killing and disposal of fish, crustaceans and other oceanic life not part of the target catch or landed. Protection of pristine and important habitats The key parts in ecosystems need full protection from destructive fisheries; e.g. the spawning and nursing grounds of fish, delicate sea floor, unique unexplored habitats, and corals. Monitoring and Enforcement A monitoring system to make sure fishermen do not land more than they are allowed to, do not fish in closed areas and cheat as less as possible. Strong monetary enforcement is needed to make it uneconomic to cheat.
Be informed Read up a bit on the issues of overfishing, have a look at some articles on this site, see if you can find some information regarding your local situation. Keep in mind that while this is a global problem every local situation is different. Know what you eat If you eat fish make sure you know what you eat, and pick the ones with the lowest impact. Have a look at the Guide to Good Fish Guides for some tips. Spread the word I know, it's all rather obvious, but this is simply how it works. Let your voice be heard! Friends Mention to your friends why you refrain from eating certain fish, tell them about the problems we're facing -pointing them to the Overfishing Basics at overfishing.org might be a good idea. More material can be found on the teaching materials page. Elected officials Write to your elected officials or political party and tell them you are concerned about overfishing and destructive fishing methods. Ask them what they think of the fisheries problem and what they are doing to manage our oceans in a sustainable manner. Media Your local newspaper almost certainly has a section dedicated for letters by readers or articles. If you are motivated writing a letter to the editor is a good way of getting a wide audience. Do you have a weblog or website? Write about the state of our oceans and how overfishing is affecting the life of all of us. If you want to link back to overfishing.org there are some buttons you can use. Students Have to write a research paper on "something environmental", "an issue that affects you"? Consider the issue of overfishing or the wider issue of the state of our oceans and the various ways humanity is using and polluting it. Twitter Tweet about the threat of overfishing!
OTHER CAMPAIGNS - WWF WWF works to end overfishing by addressing it at both a local and commercial level. Through collaboration with a variety of partners we strive to transform fisheries so that they are sustainable, have minimal impact on the environment and can provide food and livelihoods for years to come. MAKING FISHERIES SUSTAINABLE WWF helped found the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC), which has set an environmental standard to identify sustainable fisheries. We work with partners to help fisheries qualify for MSC certification. Nearly 15,000 seafood products with over $3 billion in annual sales bear the MSC label INFLUENCING THE GLOBAL MARKET WWF helps retailers worldwide to source from fisheries that are MSC certified. By working with retailers with considerable influence, we aim to transform the global seafood market and ensure the continuity and quality of the fishing industry as a whole. ADDRESSING FISHING SUBSIDIES As fish stocks dwindle, some of the world’s richest nations are paying billions of dollars to keep lagging fishing industries afloat through fishing subsidies. This scale of subsidization is a huge incentive to expand fishing fleets and overfish. WWF encourages nations to reduce and reform the fisheries subsidies that contribute to overfishing. CREATING AND EXPANDING MARINE PROTECTED AREAS WWF is working to create a network of MPAs in places like the Coral Triangle. WWF works to ensure MPAs are designed and managed well and that they benefit both people and nature. We also monitor the impacts of reserves on local communities.
MAKE A DONATION
GET INVOLVED MAKE A DIFFERENCE
make a change
ENTER AMOUNT
MESSAGE