A group of leading marine experts has called for action to end the “continued destruction of our oceans by fishing” and said the current definition of sustainable fisheries is “dangerously flawed”.
In a paper published in the journal Ocean Sustainability, researchers outlined 11 “golden rules” they say will help increase fish populations to feed future generations.
These include limiting the size of boats and gear, integrating ecosystem protection into fisheries management, and ending “harmful subsidies” to fisheries.
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Professor Paul Camp, from the University of Southampton and co-author of the paper, said: “This initiative brings together a diverse group of experts, including experts in fish science, social science, economics and conservation.
“By doing this, we were able to develop a roadmap to move away from the traditional view of fisheries to one that focuses on the social and economic context of the people who use fisheries.
“Sustainability, however, requires the integration of social, economic and environmental spheres. This paper provides a manifesto that will help secure fisheries for sustainable use by future generations.”
Other proposed rules include reducing fishing to minimize impacts, only allowing fishing in fisheries with good governance and sustainable resources, and designating the most vulnerable species and areas as no-go zones.
Researchers also call for an end to fishing practices that violate human rights, including threatening food security and the livelihoods of people who fish.
High capital
They also call for a fisheries management system that distributes access and benefits fairly and transparently, applies best practices wherever fishing companies operate, and has zero tolerance for companies engaging in illegal fishing.
The researchers say current sustainability standards support “high-value industrial practices that benefit the Global North,” but harm ecosystems and threaten “artisanal fisheries, food security and jobs.”
“The current concept of ‘sustainable fisheries’, adopted by governments and private actors since the war, is scientifically outdated,” said lead author Professor Callum Roberts of the University of Exeter.
“It relies on a simple and productive theory that assumes anyone can fish anything, anywhere, by any means, as long as the world catch remains below a certain limit.”
The paper urges policymakers, retailers and fisheries managers to acknowledge the failings of current fishing practices and prioritise adoption of the proposed golden rule, with supermarkets urging them to play a “central role” in any changes.
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Ben Mitchell is a reporter for PA.
