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"On continental shelves, great land masses rub shoulders with great oceans. Likely no one now alive can conceive of the natural living abundance once born from this charged flirtation of land and sea." — Carl Safina, scientist and author
 | Acadian Redfish © Rod Mickens / AMNH |
Many ocean fishes once seen as inexhaustible have been wiped out by overfishing. Quotas can help prevent huge fleets of modern fishing boats from depleting ever-dwindling populations until they are gone. Aquaculture, or farming fish in enclosed pens, offers some hope, but this too has its dangers. Educated consumers can help improve fishing practices by seeking out seafood caught by sustainable methods that do not eliminate entire populations.
Preventing Overfishing
In the past century, overfishing destroyed vital populations in the North Atlantic despite warnings from many scientists. But elsewhere, some fisheries have avoided similar crashes. Strict quotas that limit the number of fishing boats, their fishing methods and their total catch can ensure that enough fish are left in the ocean to breed and replenish their numbers.
Fish Farms
 | Farming fish may reduce overfishing of wild fish, but serious problems can result when fish escape their pens.
© Georg Gerster / Photo Researchers |
Farming fish in enclosed pens can reduce the hunt for wild fish. But some aquaculture causes more overfishing, not less. For example, more fish must be caught to feed farmed salmon than the farm produces. And when farmed fish escape their pens, they can spread diseases and alter the genetic diversity of wild fish when they interbreed. Still, if fish are raised in sealed tanks, wild fish can be protected. And farming shellfish and fish that can be fed grain or algae, not fishmeal, can ease the pressure on wild populations.
Powerful Consumers
Consumers can promote responsible fishing practices by seeking out seafood caught by sustainable methods that do not endanger other species. Several organizations now provide labels so consumers can avoid purchasing seafood that is exploited in an unsustainable manner.
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