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The Plundered Seas, Can the World’s
Fish Be Saved? by Michael Berrill. 1997. Sierra Club Books, 208p.
Michael Berrill, biology professor at Trent University in Ontario, lucidly
describes the international plight of fish and fisheries. At many sites for
different fish a cycle tends to occur. After the discovery of the fish
populations, fishers exploit the fish; the fish are depleted, but exploitation
continues until the fish population collapses. Cod has collapsed at Georges
Bank; salmon along the Atlantic coast of North America, etc.
Fishery biologists, as guides for the fishing industry, must estimate the sizes
of fish populations. Our ignorance of the biology of various fish handicaps this
work. Amazingly, fish catches provide the best data on population sizes.
Consequently, when aircraft spotters more efficiently locate more schools of
fish, that can mislead the fishery biologists.
Governments subsidize fisheries, so that typically $130 is spent to catch $100
worth of fish. About 1 million fishing vessels work the seas, far more than is
needed.
Bycatch, nontarget life that is caught and killed in nets, wastes tons of fish,
and turtles, dolphins, sea birds, etc. For every 2 pounds of shrimp caught,
about 10 pounds of bycatch will be discarded. In 1990 to harvest over 1 million
squid the Japanese fleet discarded more than 30 million fish known as pomfret,
killed 140,000 salmon, 270,000 seabirds and 26,000 marine mammals.
Disputes between countries and disputes between fishers using different kinds of
gear led to the UN Law of the Sea. This progressive treaty went into force in
1994. It establishes 200 mile exclusive economic zones along all coastlines
limiting fishing within that zone to that country. Uniquely, this UN treaty
continues to evolve attempting to resolve other international fishing issues.
Positive advances include banning 30 mile long drift nets, plans where a few
governments buy back excess fishing ships, and comanagement, community groups
managing inshore fisheries. Serious problems remain: destruction of bottom
habitat by trawlers; destruction of near shore fish nurseries primarily grass
beds, mangrove swamps and coral reefs; pollution of estuarine and coastal
waters; cheating by fishers, etc.
Given that half of all humans live within 60 miles of a coastline, we should
work to clean and restore coastal habitats. This would both improve our
environment and continue the possibility of fish as human food.
Review written April 15, 2004
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