Carlette Kruse

November 13, 2006

A new study published in Science finds that declining fishery stocks, in which one-thrid have already collapsed, are closely tied to biodiversity loss. Despite bigger and better boats and nets, global catch has decreased by 13% between 1994 and 2003. The study, led by Boris Worm of Dalhousie University in Nova Scotia, based its findings from historical records of 64 large marine ecosystems, plus data from the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization.

Compared to other recent studies, this study's findings predict widespread fisheries collapse by 2048, or within a very short time period. The researchers defined collapse as "less than 10 percent of their original yield." Biodiversity loss inhibits marine ecosystem recovery as well as fish stock recovery. However, the study shows that protected areas enable fish stocks and biodiversity to recuperate.

This study coincides with a suit filed by Earthjustice and the Blue Ocean Institute against the federal government to protect 125,000 acres square miles of the Gulf of Mexico from fishing during bluefin spawning. Despite a U.S. ban on direct bluefin tuna fishing in 1999, 150 million worth of bluefin "bycatch" still landed at U.S. ports. However, federal fisheries managers say the decreased bluefin stock is due to overfishing in Europe, not fishing in the Gulf.

For more information, see:

Boris Worm et al, Impacts of Biodiversity Loss on Ocean Ecosystem Services, Science, Nov. 3, 2006, at 787-790.

Richard Black, "Only 50 years left" for sea fish, BBC News, Nov. 2, 2006, available at http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/6108414.stm (last visited Nov. 10, 2006).

Cornelia Dean, Study sees "global collapse" of fish species, New York Times, Nov. 3, 2006, available at http://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/03/science/03fish,html?em&ex=1163221200&en=eef0625838fafee5&ci=5087%0A (last visited Nov. 9, 2006).

The Associated Press, Groups sue to end bluefin fishing, Washington Post, Nov. 8, 2006, available at http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/11/08/AR2006110801882.html (last visited Nov. 10, 2006).