The world’s continuing fishing practices are perhaps the most destructive ecological disaster the oceans have ever had to endure. The North Atlantic has historically been a very rich hunting ground for a number of economically important fish species. Whilst the ocean has long been considered able to buffer extensive exploitation from the fishing industry, current scientific evidence suggests this is no longer the case. Several north Atlantic fisheries are on the verge of collapse whilst the fishing industry continues to resist government and European Union restrictions on catch allowances. What are the problems and solutions to this complex situation?

State of Play

The aim of fisheries management is to maintain a fish population that can provide us with the maximum possible catch of fish whilst also retaining a stable wild fish stock. Our fisheries are governed by the European Union Common Fisheries Policy, which aims to ‘fish the right amount, the right size and the right way’. The strategy was reformed in 2003 as the plan at that time was deemed ineffective and in need of updating to include current scientific data and a more longterm view. The new plan aims to reduce piracy and illegal catches, increase aquaculture (fish farming), decrease wastage of fish and standardise inspection of catches by authorities. The European fisheries commissioner has declared the cod fishery to be on the verge of collapse and estimates it will take ten years to reach sustainable levels where we can safely remove a given number of fish without fear of driving the population to extinction. Despite these promising declarations the most recent fishing quotas have far exceeded limits suggested by the scientific community and have been condemned by all but the fishing industry. Scientific bodies such as the Royal Society, the UK’s national academy of science, have declared North sea fisheries as unsustainable and that several species such as Cod, Haddock and Whiting are on the brink of collapse.

Bycatch

A highly publicised problem associated with the fishing industry is bycatch, which relates to any organism other than the intended catch. This has come to the public domain thanks to media attention from the needless slaughter of some of the oceans most enigmatic creatures such as dolphins, sharks and turtles. Long line fishing equipment is responsible for an estimated 10,000 albatross deaths each year. Given that many Albatross raise only one chick every other year the population is becoming severely reduced thanks to this form of fishing. One of the most destructive fisheries in terms of bycatch is for prawns, where between five and fifteen kilos of bycatch is discarded for each kilo of the target species. Bycatch is estimated to range between one quarter to one third of the catch for average fisheries equating to around 27 million tonnes annually. The irony is, that many of these discarded fish are the focus of other fisheries and are perfectly edible.

Proactive Protection

There have been various suggestions of how best to protect the north Atlantic’s dwindling fish stocks. The Common Fisheries policy appears to have focused on reducing catches until stocks have recovered. The main problem faced by the commission has been calculating the current size of fish stocks and therefore the allowable catch that will also enable some recovery of the population. An alternative to this would be to limit the fishing effort instead of defining the specific number of fish to be caught each year. Limiting the number of days that a vessel is allowed to remain at sea or restricting the type of fishing net could carry this out.

Another favourable alternative to a quota system could be creation of no-take zones, in the form of closed areas or seasons to fishing. By closing a specific area the fish stock is able to recover and research has shown that once the area has reached capacity fish will begin to move into the surrounding waters where they may be caught. These areas can be selected by specific characteristics that make them important for the fish, such as feeding areas, migration routes or localities where fish aggregate to spawn or grow. Alternatively prevention of fishing during a specific season allows critical stages of the life cycle to be protected. A ban on fishing during the spawning season may ensure the stock for future generations.

Bottoming out

The idea of an entire fishery collapsing may seem unlikely. This occurs when it is no longer economically viable to take boats out to sea as there are simply too few fish to catch and sell for a profit. This situation has actually occurred several times: Californian sardine fishery in the 1950s, Peruvian anchoveta in the 1970s and the Newfoundland cod fishery in the 1990s. British fishermen argue that quotas are currently too restrictive and that their catch remains large. This was also the case in Newfoundland immediately prior to the collapse of the cod fishery. This situation suddenly leaves entire communities devastated with mass-unemployment and absolutely no fishing industry. Whereas at least with sensible and continuous restrictions the industry can remain functional.

Out of sight, out of mind

Since near shore stocks have begun to disappear the fishing fleet has begun to exploit other areas of the ocean. The deep sea has fairly recently been targeted and species such as Orange Roughy can be found at many supermarkets. This species inhabits depths of 1000-1500m and is thought to live for upto 150 years, reaching sexual maturity at 30 years of age. The problems associated with estimating fish stocks in shallow waters are amplified in these extreme depths. We are unable to calculate the affect intensive fisheries will have on the deep-sea community and whether these species will even be able to sustain such pressures. To compound the damage on the deep-sea the most common technique used to catch these fish is a huge trawl net weighed down by huge metal balls. As they proceed along the sea-floor they flatten everything in their path from ancient coral trees to invertebrate colonies.

Iceland

An example on how to manage a fishery has been set by Iceland. The cod war of 1973 occurred when Royal Navy boats were required to defended British fishing vessels that entered international waters near the Icelandic coast. The Icelandic people were protesting over the extensive foreign exploitation of their fish stocks causing them to impose a 200 mile exclusion zone surrounding their coast. This has enabled the Icelandic government to independently manage their fishery and impose their own regulations. Fishing is one of Iceland’s main industries with cod being the main export. Catches are stringently logged, certain nursery and spawning areas are closed to fishing and special nets are employed that reduce bycatch of juvenile fish. The Icelandic research institute also has the ability to close specific areas if data suggest this to be beneficial. This has allowed Iceland to create a sustainable industry that bases catch quotas on precautionary models of exploitation rather than constantly exceeding suggested limits.

Future of the Oceans

As the more productive fisheries of the world’s cooler waters begin to dwindle there is likely to be a shift towards the waters of the world’s developing countries. It has been estimated that by 2020 around 80% of fish will come from developing countries rather than currently exploited areas such as the north Atlantic and north Pacific. This is likely to put increased pressure on already fragile ecosystems such as coral reefs and tropical seas.

Some regions have already begun to see the effects of overfishing on coral reefs. Large herbivorous species such as Parrotfish are frequently targeted by local fishermen and when severely depleted they are unable to carry out their vital ecological role on the reef. These fish feed exclusively on the lawn of algae that naturally covers dead coral and rocks. When herbivores are removed these algae are suddenly able to grow, forming large dense mats. Eventually the situation can become so severe that corals are unable to compete with the fast growing algae for space and light. The community suffers without living corals and the entire area may shift to an algal rather than coral dominated system with many fewer inhabitants.

Light at the End of the Tunnel

With decimation of fish populations and constant bickering between the fishing industry, scientists and regulation imposing governments, the future of the North Atlantic fishery looks bleak. Aquaculture may help supply insatiable demand for fish but this too has major drawbacks, not least of which is the requirement of huge amounts of fish to feed captive stocks. Looking to Iceland as a model there is hope that with proper management and sensible precautions there is room for a viable fishing industry in the north Atlantic and a healthy fish population.