Tackling the Fishing Industry
- georgiastrack
- Jul 7
- 4 min read
At the beginning of May the world comes together to celebrate World Tuna Day. Tuna is a remarkable fish, popular worldwide. While this fish is celebrated, we must look into the ways tuna is caught and how fishing and the fishing industry impacts the environment, and what we can do to help.
Tuna is fished in over 70 countries worldwide, an animal that is critical to both commercial and recreational fisheries. There is such a high demand for tuna as a food source, meaning many stocks of it are exploited. Where billions rely on the ocean as a food source, demand for fish protein continues to increase.
The tuna market has the third largest amount of annual production and therefore is among the most vulnerable to overfishing. New technologies have allowed humans to fish on a massive scale meaning that unfortunately many species have been overfished. Sadly, one of these is bluefin tuna that have been overfished to near extinction.
In many parts of the world, fish are harvested at a quicker rate than they can reproduce. If they are not effectively managed then the worlds tuna fisheries will be faced with ecological disaster. Overfishing has been identified as one of the primary causes for the collapse of the ecosystem in many aquatic areas. The impact of industrial fishing practices cause destruction that can be far reaching, while debris leftover from fishing can have a negative impact by directly harming sea life or causing damage to reefs.
The state of the environment and climate also have an impact on fishing. Rising temperatures result in increased warming of the ocean, which has the potential to harm marine ecosystems and have a negative impact on food security. Sudden rises in temperature may also cause loss of species or habitats, which can alter the structure of the ecosystem.
As the water warms, fish migrate to different parts of the ocean in order to meet their preferred temperatures. Cold loving fish are seen to be moving further north while others are altering their migration patterns and venturing on different routes. Some tuna have now been reported as far north as Greenland or Iceland.
In order to fish sustainably, new methods and processes need to be adopted. With more than 85% of the worlds fisheries being pushed beyond their limits, change is required. The WWF have been focusing on transforming and improving the way fisheries, tuna fisheries specifically, are managed.
The WWF are helping to promote sustainable fishing by advocating for stricter management when it comes to recovering depleting species, combating pirate fishing, and creating new ventures that reduce harmful bycatch.
They have come up with an idea to replace traditional J fishing hooks with new 'circle' hooks that help reduce bycatch of marine turtles. A re-occuring problem with J hooks was the likelihood of them being swallowed by turtles. Different shaped hooks will allow for easier unhooking from inadvertently caught animals, meaning the animals are able to be released with minimal damage done to them. They are also working to better train fishing communities in the use of de-hooking tools.
Other changes in the fishing industry are that some countries have begun to cut back how long people can fish for and the amount they are allowed to catch. Unfortunately, a consequence of this economically is that it results in a loss of livelihood and can lead to increased unemployment for many people and coastal areas that rely on the fishing industry.
Certain fisheries with MDC certifications are well managed and better prepared for environmental changes. There has also been evidence to suggest that sustainable fishing practices are more efficient and therefore reduce carbon emissions. One example found that increased catches in Icelandic fisheries meant fishing vessels were taking shorter trips, thus reducing their fuel usage and carbon emissions as a result.
A further alternative to help reduce harm from the fishing industry is the use of alternative proteins. As global demand for meat continues to increase, scarce resources deplete even further. Although still in the early days of research and production, alternatives to seafood do show significant potential. Non-seafood options such as seitan, tofu and tempeh can be seasoned and used in meals in a way that replicates tuna and seafood generally.
Alternative proteins tend to use a fraction of the amount of natural resources required for conventional meat and therefore reduce environmental impact and greenhouse gas emissions. These alternatives also help increase food security as we are able to produce what we need without all the resources required for traditional meats and proteins. It is a solution that can help improve health in communities and ecosystems while also reducing the pressure on fragile aquatic ecosystems.
A more traditional alternative to tuna may be mackerel, a fish that is usually much more abundant and has been fished over time using many more sustainable methods.
The most important thing to consider when it comes to tuna and fishing in general is to ensure responsible harvesting that has benefits for the ecosystem as well as communities and their livelihoods. Everything we can do to help conservation measures is an important step in the right direction.
Have you considered alternative forms of protein? Check out a previous article to read more about plant-based and alternative proteins.
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