Seafood lovers' choice: Less, or none at all

With efforts to protect the world's fish populations largely failing to boost their dwindling numbers, a new study says that initiatives by seafood buyers, such as individual consumers, supermarket chains and restaurants, could prove more effective. The study comes from the Worldwatch Institute, a US-based independent environmental think tank, and argues that individual buyers and businesses could help reverse a steep decline in world's fisheries. Though worried that most seafood, from tuna to salmon to bay scallops, is already on the verge of extinction, experts at the institute say their research shows that an opportunity to reverse the trend still exists. In the study, titled "Catch of the Day, Choosing Seafood for Healthier Oceans," senior researcher Brian Halweil asserts that a public that better understands the state of the world's oceans can be "a driving force" in helping governments pass laws to ban destructive fishing practices. Noting that targeted efforts by both buyers and businesses have already produced positive results in some places, the study's authors suggest that private initiatives could help reduce the risk of further decline in fish stocks. "Well-informed seafood eaters, distributors, restaurants and supermarkets are playing a growing role in fostering a more sustainable fishing industry," Halweil explains. Citing United Nations surveys, Halweil points out that about two-thirds of the world's major fish stocks–like cod, salmon and mackerel–have been "pushed to the verge of collapse," which he attributes to increased consumption and the use of high-impact fishing technology, such as bottom trawlers. The commercial fishing industry takes in at least $80 billion every year, according to the National Environmental Trust, a Washington-based nonprofit group. Worldwide, fishers also catch about 18 to 40 million tons of fish and other marine species that are discarded–the so-called bycatch. Many environmental groups have repeatedly called for a global ban on the use of bottom trawling, but the industry continues to resist such calls. Last month, the UN General Assembly started debate on an Australian-led plan for a temporary moratorium on deep-sea bottom trawling in unmanaged high seas and to impose tougher regulation of other destructive fishing practices. While the measure is supported by the United States and some other major seafood consuming countries, it has met with opposition from Canada and others, who argue that such a ban would be unenforceable. Bottom-trawling involves dragging huge, heavy nets along the sea floor. Large metal plates and rubber wheels attached to these nets crush nearly everything in their path. Such high-impact fishing technologies have led to a "serious decline" in marine biodiversity, says Halweil, explaining that nearly 30 percent of fish species have collapsed in the past 50 years. In 2004, marine scientists concluded that industrial fleets had emptied the oceans of at least 90 percent of all large predators–tuna, marlin, swordfish, sharks, cod, halibut, skates and flounder. Other studies show that some coastal and estuarine ecosystems have declined by more than 50 percent. As a result, the number of viable fisheries has dropped by 33 percent, weakening the oceans' ability to filter and detoxify contaminants by 63 percent. Halweil and others say the massive disappearance of fish stocks could pose a "serious threat" to the world's oceans. However, he still believes there is room for a remedy. Though optimistic about the outcome of responsible actions on the part of the seafood buyers, he notes that the movement for sustainable fishing and seafood consumption has a long way to go to make a meaningful difference. In Halweil's view, even though some major supermarkets have pledged their support, they have often failed to match their words with deeds. The US-based retail giant Wal-Mart, for example, recently assured its customers that it would sell only certified sustainably-caught fish in the next three to five years, but made no similar commitment regarding farmed salmon and Asian farmed shrimp, which make up the bulk of its seafood sales, he says. Noting that the United States, Europe and Japan–the world's primary seafood consumers–get most of their fish through large distributors, supermarkets and restaurants, Halweil is convinced that a change in buying habits could help stop a further decline in fish stocks. Consumers need to change their buying habits, he says, because sustainable seafood can make its biggest impact when it starts appearing in popular supermarkets and restaurants. "Fish is an incredibly healthful food," he adds, "but we need to eat less of certain kinds and more of others if we want fish in the future." Salmon farms, for instance, consume more fish in the form of feed than they yield, and large ocean species like tuna and swordfish are most likely to be contaminated with mercury and other toxins, Halweil explains. Eating clams, oysters and smaller species, in contrast, puts less strain on the oceans and protects consumers from contaminants. Considering the enormous damage that bottom-trawling has caused to marine life, the study also points to the need to support smaller-scale fisheries. Some scientists suggest that establishing "no-catch" marine reserves over 20 to 30 percent of the oceans could provide spawning grounds and refuges to sustain all major fisheries. But if current trends continue, says Halweil, the oceans will be reduced to "a trawler-scraped wasteland inhabited primarily by sea slime and jellyfish."