Did you know, that as of Wednesday, September 19th, The European Commission has banned the fishing of endangered blue fin tuna in the eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean for
the rest of the year? This is due to overfishing and the fact that tuna are disappearing.
Over the last 50 years, the complete stock of fish in the ocean have gone down by 90%. That means that for every 10 fish in the sea 50 years ago, only one is left. This is a global issue that affects all of us, whether you live in the deserts of West Texas or on the island of Japan.
There have been many wonderful and beautifully written books by Marine Biologists from around the world, but still, ocean's stocks of fish are still going down. Laws have been passed, but not enforced. Governments and congressmen have been contacted, but still, no change.
Does this mean that the world's fish are doomed? Not necessarily. There is hope. 1 simple solution:
EAT LESS FISH. Really, it is that simple. Let's think about it. Fish get caught because fish get bought. So, if we buy less fish, then less fish will need to get caught. You don't have to give up fish all together. After all, we do need it in our diets. Just cut your intake down to twice a week. In addition, we need to look at Sustainable Seafood.
Sustainable seafood is seafood from sources, either fished or farmed, that can exist over the long-term without compromising species' survival or the health of the
surrounding ecosystem is sustainable.
The Marine Stewardship Council has developed some great ways to help us eat the right fish. In fact, if you visit their "Where to Buy" page ( http://eng.msc.org/ ) you can click on your country and you will provided a list of all grocery stores and brands of the right fish to eat.
Also, as you already know, author Jason Kelly has written a wonderful children's book called "No Fish In My Dish, www.nofishinmydish.com. The book is written from the viewpoint of a fisherman's daughter who comes home one day with only one fish. The family realizes that due to the big commercial fisherman, there are no fish left in their area and that something needs to be done.
Interesting Facts:
900,000
- Metric tons of wasted fish - 28% of the annual catch - that gets tossed
overboard because they are not the desired species.
4 kilograms - of 'bycatch' discarded by Gulf Coast shrimpers
for each kilo of shrimp kept.
Source: USA Today
Links to look at:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7002591.stm
http://www7.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/0704/feature1/
We only have one planet. Once the fish are gone, they're gone. There is no bringing them back. When they disappear, what will the polar bears, seals, seal lions, penguins and other marine life eat? So, really this goes deeper than just the stock of fish in the ocean.
Remember, we all have a choice and we all have a voice! What will yours be?
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