Posted by kathryn in Fish and Ethics & Sustainablity

Disturbing reports over the last few weeks have painted a bleak picture of the future of our marine environments. At the current rate, it’s estimated that by 2050 all fish and seafood species that are currently being fished, will have collapsed. As the perfectly named Professor Worm says:

“Whether we looked at tide pools or studies over the entire world’s oceans, we saw the same picture emerging. In losing species we lose the productivity and stability of entire ecosystems,”

While we consider fish to be food, all marine creatures play an important role in maintaining the health of our oceans. They filter out pollutants, keep toxic algae blooms at bay, protect coastal regions from disease outbreaks and are part of the system that keeps climate change under control. Steve Palumbi, of Stanford University:

“The ocean is a great recycler. It takes sewage and recycles it into nutrients. It scrubs toxins out of water and it turns carbon dioxide into food and oxygen.” To carry out this service for the people who lived along the coast, the waters needed their full complement of plants and animals.

Further research has shown there are only 10% of all large fish left in the sea. Open ocean species, including tuna, swordfish, marlin and the large groundfish, such as cod, halibut, skate and flounder are all in steady decline. The also beautifully named Ransom Myers from Dalhousie University states that:

“Where detailed data are available we see that the average size of these top predators is only one fifth to one half of what it used to be. The few blue marlin today reach one fifth of the weight they once had. In many cases, the fish caught today are under such intense fishing pressure, they never even have the chance to reproduce”.

The news isn’t all bad, as the research shows marine ecosystems still have the capacity to regenerate. Dr Worm again:

“We can turn this around. But less than one percent of the global ocean is effectively protected right now. We won’t see complete recovery in one year, but in many cases species come back more quickly than people anticipated — in three to five to ten years. And where this has been done we see immediate economic benefits.”

And this is part of the point, it’s in our personal and financial interest to do something about this now, not to leave it until it’s too late.

What to do?

I’ve linked to this before, but it’s timely to do so again – the Australian Marine Conservation Society have a Sustainable Seafood Guide . It lists the species that are not being over-fished or are being managed sustainably and offers alternatives to the many at-risk seafood species. Good choices include:

• Oysters
• King George whiting
• Western or Eastern Australian wild caught salmon
• Blue swimmer crab
• Calamari, octopus and squid

You can also check with your local fishmonger or supermarket to find out if they stock MSC certified fish. The Marine Stewardship Council is an independent, global, non-profit organisation that monitors fish stocks and promotes the best environmental choices. They grade fisheries and certify products that have come from sustainable seafood stocks. In Australia only a couple of brands have MSC certification.

However, you can change this by telling your fishmonger and supermarket that you want the choice of buying MSC certified fish. Consumer action in the US has led Wal-mart to setting a 100% sustainable fish target.

More information:

• Original research abstract
• Further information from Dalhousie University here and here
• News report from the Sydney Morning Herald
• World Wildlife Foundation
• Australian Marine Conservation Society
• Marine Stewardship Council

23 November, 2006