Posted on 11/03/2006 2:34:31 AM PST by familyop
The world's stocks of seafood will have collapsed by 2050 at present rates of destruction by fishing, scientists said yesterday.
A four-year study of 7,800 marine species around the world's ecosystems has concluded that the long-term trend is clear and predictable.
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By 2048, to be exact, catches of all the presently fished seafoods will have declined on average by more than 90 per cent since 1950.
The study, by an international group of ecologists and economists, says the loss of biodiversity impairs the ability of oceans to feed the world's growing human population — expected to rise by 50 per cent to nine billion in 2050.
Over-fishing also sabotages the stability of marine environments, profoundly reducing the ocean's ability to produce seafood, resist diseases, filter pollutants and rebound from stresses such as climate change.
Every species matters when it comes to the ocean's ability to repair itself, says the study, published in this week's Science magazine.
Dr Boris Worm, of Dalhousie University, Nova Scotia, the lead author, said: "This is what is projected, not predicted, to happen. I am confident we will not go there because we will do something about it. But if this trend continues in this predictable fashion, as it has for the last 50 years, the world's currently fished seafoods will have reached what we define as collapse by 2048.
"Every year a higher percentage of the currently fished stocks has collapsed. We are losing it piece by piece."
Prof Callum Roberts, of the University of York, who was not involved in the study, said: "The animals and plants that inhabit the sea are not merely embellishments to be wondered at. They are essential to the health of the oceans and well-being of human society."
The scientists found that in 12 regions, which include the Wadden Sea, the shallow part of the North Sea, 38 per cent of exploited marine species of all kinds, including birds, had collapsed in the past 1,000 years while seven per cent was extinct. Some 29 per cent had collapsed since 1950.
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Dr Worm said the decline of cod on the Scotian shelf, off Canada, had led to changes throughout the ecosystem. But there was some good news in the paper.
Dr Worm said there was evidence that wherever protective measures were taken, species recovered rapidly and could cope better with problems such as global warming.
The catch per unit of effort — the standard scientific way of measuring fishing activity — goes up four-fold.
As wild fish stocks decline, farmed fish is expected to take over. Some 43 per cent of fish consumed is already farmed, says the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation.
But it warned that fish farming would struggle to maintain even present levels of production because the small wild fish that are fed to farmed species are being over-fished.
Willie Mackenzie, of Greenpeace, said: "This report confirms the scale of the crisis our oceans are facing. It's clear that fish and chips will be off the menu within our lifetimes if we don't act now.
"We need to ban destructive fishing practices and create a network of large-scale marine reserves around not just Britain, but globally".
Despite the problem of the oceans being on a time-scale comparable to global warming, the Government appears to have scrapped plans to introduce its promised Marine Bill in the Queen's Speech this month, the environmental group WWF said yesterday.
FISHY STORY!
I'll finally get to swim in the ocean without fearing sharks. Yea!
I think all this nuke testing by Dr. Ill woke up Godzilla, and he is eating all the fish. Watch out Tokyo when his underwater food supply runs out.
It won't matter anyway -- bigfatalgore says we will all die by global warming within ten years.
LOL.
My God where`re all doomed,I tell you DOOMED.
All your Seafood are belongs to us???
When the article cites a member of Greenpeace and someone who gave a speech to the WWF (World Wildlife Fund), you know it is complete bias by the animal rights movement.
I'm convinced. It's time to kick the asians out of our ocean. Think about it if the pacific was feeding 300mil americans instead of 3 billion asians it would be vibrant! On a serious note, we should optimize the production of edible fishes. I'm sure educated people in comfy chairs are working on it, I just hope they listen to the hard working captains of trawlers that actually care to maintain the ocean and have good ideas.
Unfortunately, being a recreational fisherman in the Chesapeake Bay area who lived in Panama for several years and fished there (courtesy US Army) this story may be about right. Unfortunately, gummint at the present time, is the problem. The commercial fishery regulation is a disgrace and lobbyists have the politicians in their pocket. What we need is a 20 moratorium on all commercial fishing. If you want fish for supper, get a pole.
Dr. Worm and Fish storys....
"Well, there he goes again!"
ah yes, Dr Boris Worm.....famous Dr Worm..
you mean we won't get SCROD anymore?
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