( Source: Green Peace International)
The oceans sustain us, but we are not sustaining them. The diversity of life in the world's oceans is being dramatically altered by the excessive exploitation of fish, and
other marine species. Most commercially targeted fish populations and many associated marine species are in decline. In addition, marine and coastal ecosystems, as well as habitats vitally important for fish breeding and rearing, are being rapidly degraded.
1. Seven out of ten (69%) of the oceans' commercially targeted marine fish stocks are fished beyond ecologically safe limits, being either fully or heavily exploited, over-exploited,
depleted, or very slowly recovering from collapse after previous overfishing.
2. One-quarter of the planet's biological diversity is in danger of extinction within the next 30 years. In the ocean environment, commercial fishing stands as one of the
greatest biodiversity threats.
3.Overfishing damages much more than fish populations. Extracting too many fish from an ecosystem can reduce the survival chances of other predators in the marine food web,
including populations of marine mammals, seabirds, turtles, sharks and a host of other species
4. Many millions of animals other than fish are severely injured or killed each year through deadly interactions with fishing gear. For instance, millions of dolphins have
died in Tuna purse seine nets in the Eastern Tropical Pacific Ocean. An estimated 44,000 albatrosses are killed each year by Japanese tuna long liners.
5. One-quarter (25%) of all the fish pulled from the sea never make it to market. 27 million tons of unwanted fish catch are thrown back each year on average. Most don't
6. One of the world's biggest trawl nets could encircle more than a dozen "jumbo jet" Boeing 747 aircraft at its opening. The net's circumference measures a mammoth 2048mtrs,
producing a mouth opening area of 22,900 sq. mtrs. Ships deploying such nets have a capture rate of about ten tons of fish per hour.
7. Eighty percent of the world's marine catch is produced by just 20 fishing nations.