40yrs time NO FISH LEFT!!

[Del 245]

http://www.news.com.au/world/ocean-fish-could-disappear-in-40-years/story-e6frfkyi-1225868059675"THE world faces the nightmare possibility of fishless oceans by 2050 unless fishing fleets are slashed and stocks allowed to recover, UN experts warned."If the various estimates we have received... come true, then we are in the situation where 40 years down the line we, effectively, are out of fish," Pavan Sukhdev, head of the UN Environment Program's green economy initiative, said.A Green Economy report due later this year by UNEP and outside experts argues this disaster can be avoided if subsidies to fishing fleets are slashed and fish are given protected zones - ultimately resulting in a thriving industry.The report, which was opened to preview overnight, also assesses how surging global demand in other key areas including energy and fresh water can be met while preventing ecological destruction around the planet.UNEP director Achim Steiner said the world was "drawing down to the very capital" on which it relies.However, "our institutions, our governments are perfectly capable of changing course, as we have seen with the extraordinary uptake of interest. Around, I think it is almost 30 countries now have engaged with us directly, and there are many others revising the policies on the green economy," he said.Environmental experts are mindful of the failure this March to push through a worldwide ban on trade in bluefin tuna, one of the many species said to be headed for extinction.Powerful lobbying from Japan and other tuna-consuming countries defeated the proposal at the CITES conference on endangered species in Doha.But UNEP's warning was that tuna only symbolises a much vaster catastrophe, threatening economic, as well as environmental upheaval.One billion people, mostly from poorer countries, rely on fish as their main animal protein source, according to the UN.The Green Economy report estimates there are 35 million people fishing around the world on 20 million boats. About 170 million jobs depend directly or indirectly on the sector, bringing the total web of people financially linked to 520 million.According to the UN, 30 percent of fish stocks have already collapsed, meaning they yield less than 10 percent of their former potential, while virtually all fisheries risk running out of commercially viable catches by 2050.Currently only a quarter of fish stocks - mostly the cheaper, less desirable species - are considered to be in healthy numbers.The main scourge, the UNEP report says, are government subsidies encouraging ever bigger fishing fleets chasing ever fewer fish, with little attempt made to allow the fish populations to recover.The annual 27 billion dollars in government subsidies to fishing, mostly in rich countries, is "perverse," Mr Sukhdev said, since the entire value of fish caught is only 85 billion dollars.As a result, fishing fleet capacity is "50 to 60 percent" higher than it should be, Mr Sukhdev said.Creating marine preservation areas to allow female fish to grow to full size, thereby hugely increasing their fertility, is one vital solution, the report says.Another is restructuring the fishing fleets to favour smaller boats that - once fish stocks recover - would be able to land bigger catches."What is scarce here is fish," Mr Sukhdev said, "not the stock of fishing capacity."

[pescados 1]

Well 40 years ago there was a lot more fish than what there is now.They may have a point.

[Skudded 0]

Is this from the same scientists who in the 80's warned us of Global cooling, then the last few years told us the earth had being heating for the last 100 years, meaning the 80's paranoia must have been a huge cold blip??Sorry but while all industries should be working to restore natural stocks the panick method they use is rediculous.

[hoopsy 697]

more fact than a panic method imo skudded yes very sad indeed lets just hope it doesnt end up like everything else start worrieing about it when its too late...more marine parks is a positive point also catch limits and methods must be looked at ...heard theres about 9 long liners at ardys again unreal the rapist are back for a second shot BAN LONGLINERS as i said limits and methods will clean all fish out eventualy

[afishyfish 4]

hoopsy wrote:

.heard theres about 9 long liners at ardys again

They probably wont be around long if Trace has anything to do with it

[afishyfish 4]

I totally agree with leting the breeders stay around for as long as possible once they get to larger sizes ( ie maximum size limits ), and then customising fishing methods to leave them alone as much as possible during their breeding time.

Another is restructuring the fishing fleets to favour smaller boats that - once fish stocks recover - would be able to land bigger catches.

many big boats, and not enough fish per boat.fewer smaller boats catching more fish per boat.HmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmNot sure how that will help or is relevant to helping fish stocks

[archerfish 685]

Check out this link:http://endoftheline.com/This documentary is currently showing at the Mercury Cinema in town (www.mercurycinema.org.au)- it's must-see stuff.Cheersarcherfish

[afishyfish 4]

pescados wrote:

Well 40 years ago there was a lot more fish than what there is now.They may have a point.

40 years ago there were a lot less people depleting the stocks too.Looks like nowadays theres' more people competing for for fewer fish.Our planet only has so many resources to provide for all organisms, including us!Heres a thought put to me by a mate of mine who is an environmental manager. Maybe instead of hoping in vain that science can solve our problems, or that we can grow more fish, make more fresh water, somehow produce more oxygen etc etc etc, we should simply stop putting so much demand on our planets limited resources by not having so many people ( the worlds most destructive species) on it to start with whats your thoughts on that ?

[krustykrab 0]

As consumers we are responsible for over fishing,unless you are only eating the fish(that you need)that you have caught yourself .As consumers we are also responsible for making ethical choices....most of the people here have made it clear that they are all for size and bag limits and the efforts needed to preserve this resource....excellent!another unfortunate thing is that alot of these companies who are doing the big damage are companies on the stock exchange who have shareholders who want the companies to perform and return them dividends for there investments.......This is a vicious circle which cannot be stopped but we can help by sometimes thinking about our choices(not just fish and seafood) and educating others......it all helps!

[coight 0]

I tend to agree with you lot, but we night not have to worry for too much longer...http://www.deepastronomy.com/apophis-asteroid-could-hit-earth.html

[Piranha 76]

Heres a thought put to me by a mate of mine who is an environmental manager. Maybe instead of hoping in vain that science can solve our problems, or that we can grow more fish, make more fresh water, somehow produce more oxygen etc etc etc, we should simply stop putting so much demand on our planets limited resources by not having so many people ( the worlds most destructive species) on it to start with whats your thoughts on that ?

spot on the gov is currently trying to pack OZ like a can of sardines when the water resources we have are already under considerable pressure, the murray is slowly dieing and now melb has joined adelaide to attampt to suck it dry because those cities haven't built large enough catchments for their expanding population.Growth is great for the economy but whats the use of a strong economy if the population ends up dieing of thirst!I like to get my rant out of the way early cheers wes

[hoopsy 697]

@aff what are u saying shoot thy neighbour?? yer trace is were i heard it from locals are ropeable mate

[Piranha 76]

hoopsy wrote:

@aff what are u saying shoot thy neighbour??

or Don't root thy neighbour?

[Gaffer 0]

Skudded... you speak my language mate ;)That's not to say we shouldn't be concerned and be working towards a better fishery for the future, and of course we should keep a watchful eye on fish stocks and fishing practices etc. It's just the constant alarmism from the UN that drives me up the wall.

[gonefishing2105 0]

Had an argument ages ago with one of those mobs that asks for money to feed the starving pepole of epheiopia told them it was natures way of levelling the population to were the country could survive man did i get an ear bashing . But as i see it the world can only support so many then its going to start saying to itself ok lets levell the playing field if in forty years thers no fish then it just means we are one step closer to nature levelling the playing field

[afishyfish 4]

Rather than having a population to support an economy, why not have an economy supporting a number of people. i.e. make it sustainable. Nothing can expand forever after all Piranha wrote:

hoopsy wrote:

@aff what are u saying shoot thy neighbour??

or Don't root thy neighbour?

:laugh:Personally I'd say probably neither is the best policy

[RogerG 1]

40 years from now there will not be anybody left on this planet that will worry about it. Following current trends we will have wiped each other out or be so tightly governed that we will be eating our own recycled garbage/sewage/bodies/chemicals = Soylent Green and living in "Ant-hills" Like in Japan Reading some of these posts, it is obvious that most people are talking about THEM and THEY!!! I will repeat here the words that I wrote in another post_" I you are catching so many crabs that you have to freeze them then you are catching TOO MANY! Lay off and leave some for others" This applies to everything that nature provides and it starts at home with yourselves.RogerG

[Gaffer 0]

Roger is on the money... actions speak louder than words, although I am sure that most folk here practice what they preach and stay within the regulations.My concern isn't that there will be no people left to fish, or that there will be no fish left either. My concern is that there will be so many rules and regulations governing every single facet of our lives that we won't be allowed to do anything anyway. Beware the totalitarian tiptoe!