Seafood populations could be wiped out in 40 years due to overfishing...
DID YOU KNOW? Fishing has a significant impact on our oceans because it literally removes the biomass from marine ecosystems. Excessive fishing impacts on other species too and can have a knock-on effect on the whole marine ecosystem!!
The ocean gives us life, providing around 50% - 70% percent of our oxygen. But our oceans are in trouble... overfishing, climate change, plastic waste and other human pressures are changing the inner workings of the "blue heart of our planet," to quote Dr. Sylvia Earle.
However, there are many things you can do to improve the state of our oceans through making more sustainable choices.
Sustainable seafood choices, for example, is a huge area where we can all make more conscious decisions.
Global fish populations, especially big fish species like tuna, swordfish or sharks, have become seriously depleted due to overfishing. It's possible in 40 years time seafood populations could be wiped out. ( More ocean facts here )
When shopping or dining out, help reduce the demand for over-exploited species by choosing seafood that is both healthy and sustainable.
Here are some tips to help you make a better choice
- Do your research: There is a wealth of information online about overfishing and sustainable seafood choices. Do some research, and this will prepare you to make better choices. Many people believe for example that buying local species is more sustainable than imported ones, but this is not always the case, so make sure you know the facts about what you are going to buy.
- Ask before you buy: Starting a conversation about where the fish came from is incredibly important. Even if a retailer doesn't have the answer, the more times they are asked such questions will create a ripple effect back to the top of the supply chain about what customers want. Ask questions like; "Is the species overfished?", "How was it caught or farmed?", "Where is it from, local or imported?". This applies to restaurants when you're eating out too.
- Say no: Do not buy overfished species, or species that are caught or farmed in a way that is harmful to the environment. For example, fishing methods that have a lot of bycatch of other marine wildlife. You have the consumer power to make a better choice.
*Seafood facts from www.sustainableseafood.org.au
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