Can You Imagine A World Without Fish?

It’s time to talk about overfishing. A global issue we take seriously at Ocean’s because fish are our livelihood, just as they are for more than 40% of the world’s population.

Not sure exactly how that affects you? We get it.

It’s easy to feel disconnected to issues that don’t seem to affect your day-to-day lives— especially when you can easily hit your favourite sushi joint for lunch or grab a can of tuna from the grocery store to stock your pantry.

But those simple acts could cease to exist if we don’t take action today.

What is overfishing?

Overfishing is simply when humans take fish from our oceans and freshwater sources faster than they can repopulate. The result is that species either become extinct or underpopulated in a given area.

It’s the reason seafood is expected to be depleted from the oceans by 2048.

Here’s are some more sobering facts:

• Over just 40 years the number of marine species is reported to have decreased by 39%
• Almost 30% of commercial fish stocks are overfished
• Only a third of fisheries are fished at levels that allow fish to repopulate
• Over 60% of fish stocks are fully fished, meaning they’ve reached their maximum limit before overfishing will likely happen

If the long-term trend continues, in just a few decades there will be little or no seafood available for sustainable harvest.

How did this happen?

While advancements in technology have significantly improved our lives through faster and easier communication and transportation— as the fishing industry has modernized it’s resulted in more sophisticated techniques for finding, fishing, and processing seafood. Without any regard for future generations or the state of our oceans, companies around the world are using these methods to take too many fish, too fast.

The consumer demand for seafood also plays a role.

In 1976, the world’s fisheries produced about 60 million tonnes of fish for consumption, compared to over 150 million tonnes in 2012. That’s more than double the amount of fish caught for global consumption in just a few decades.

Know your role

The reality is that fish are still an important source of protein and nutrients. They’re also the number one source of income for millions of people living in vulnerable coastal communities around the world.

In order to sustain the world’s fish populations and protect these communities we need to work together to ensure our seafood is sustainable. That when we choose to eat fish and shellfish, it’s from sustainably managed fisheries that do their part to protect marine populations.

We’re committed to the health of our oceans. And our commitment to you is that when you choose Ocean’s brand seafood you’re helping preserve important ecosystems, reduce bycatch of vulnerable species (like turtles and dolphins) and minimize marine damage.

We only work with trusted producers, local governments and international organizations like MSC to uphold and improve the standards of sustainable fisheries.

Sources:

https://www.fishforward.eu/en/topics/facts-figures/#_ftn6

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/2006/11/seafood-biodiversity/

https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/everything-you-need-to-know-about-overfishing/

https://oceans.casustainability