- more than 60,000 tonnes of blue fin tuna were caught every year. We are making progress, but are we making it fast enough? In addition to public sector investment, a lot of private sector players are also involved in the sector. This makes regulation even more difficult, and means a whole lot of fishing vessels in the sea. All of these fishing vessels, all over the world, are continuously polluting the sea through fuel and other toxic substances – further harming the fish stocks they rely on to make money.
What
Reason for hope Illegal fishing and unsustainable harvesting still plagues the industry. A public that is accustomed to abundant seafood and largely apathetic about the plight of the oceans also complicates efforts to repair the damage we've done and move forward. There is still reason for hope though. Many scientists say most fish populations could be restored with aggressive management of fisheries, better enforcement of laws governing catches, and increased use of aquaculture. On an individual level, being aware of what you are eating, how much you are eating and where it comes from, and supporting sustainable fishing initiatives will also help.
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Properly maintained fisheries could take some of the burden off wild fish stocks, becoming a renewable supply of protein. At present, short-term economic pressures are preventing sensible long-term planning for a sustainable yield (only taking out as many fish as can be replaced by reproduction the following year), but this could be greatly improved.