The ‘end of the line’ for world’s oceans

Warning on over-fishing

Published:

OVER-FISHING of the world’s oceans ranks beside climate change as one of the biggest problems facing humans this century.

The warning came from journalist Charles Clover, before the launch of his film on fishing, The End of the Line.

A YouGov survey for Waitrose, which is supporting the film, found that 78% of people do not try to buy fish caught sustainably.

And while some scientists have warned that the world’s fisheries could face collapse by 2048, more than half of those polled were unaware of the extent of the danger.

Mr Clover said: “The world needs to understand that over-fishing ranks up there beside climate change, human overpopulation and food security as one of the four big problems facing the present century.

“We’re going to have to start managing large abundant fish populations for healthy oceans, rather than hunting down the last fish and then moving on to the next species.”

He added: “Over-fishing and global warming are linked.

“We need a healthy marine ecosystem to absorb carbon dioxide from the air.”

Scientists have also warned that increasing levels of CO emitted into the air and dissolved into seawater make the oceans more acidic. The increased acidity could damage ecosystems, coral reefs and fish stocks and prevent the seas absorbing as much COin future.

Mr Clover also believes fish farms are not the answer to over-fishing as they rely on smaller fish being caught for food.

He wants consumers to demand sustainably-caught fish from retailers and restaurants.

Waitrose has a policy not to sell species such as blue fin tuna, swordfish and wild Atlantic salmon, or fish caught by the most environmentally-damaging methods.