[Willie Green]

There's a lot of talk about global warming, but overfishing and the degradation of the coastal oceans is a much more pressing concern.

In many of our states, hatcheries have long provided a successful means of replenishing freshwater species that are overfished by sportsfisherman. The oceans are mighty big, but I wonder if a similar approach might be practical for at least some of those saltwater species that are overfished for food.

The technology isn't really all that expensive or high-tech: basicly a bunch of huge fish tanks with plumbing, filters, pumps, etc. etc. And all ya gotta do is raise the fry long enough that you significantly improve their chances of surviving to maturity in the wild.

It would take quite a few hatcheries to impact ocean populations, but those could easily be spread around the various fishing nations to share the load. And while governments may pay the cost of original construction, operating costs could be paid by a fee tacked onto commercial fishing licenses.

Not a panacea, just an idea that is worthy of consideration IMHO.

[jz638]

exactly. The best way to save a species is to start farming it. Chickens aren't endangered, nor are cows or trout.

[expatpat]

I think that's a good approach.

I don't think the analogy with freshwater fish works, though. A lot of freshwater fishing is catch-and-release, but most salt-water fish are kept and eaten if they're big enough.

[dead]

Rather than building enormous tanks, we could use parts of the big one we already have - the oceans.

The problem is, what carrot and/or stick do you use to get sovereign nations to agree to a plan to leave enormous fisheries untapped?

[SauronOfMordor]

It would take quite a few hatcheries to impact ocean populations, but those could easily be spread around the various fishing nations to share the load. And while governments may pay the cost of original construction, operating costs could be paid by a fee tacked onto commercial fishing licenses.

For it to work, we need to establish ownership over stretches of ocean. The owners can then establish hatcheries with confidence that they can get back their investments from fishing. The owners would have to have the right to defend their areas against poachers.