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[angelofdeath132]

Scientists: Only 10 Percent of Big Ocean Fish Left
Wed May 14, 3:14 PM ET Add Science - Reuters to My Yahoo!
By Patricia Reaney
LONDON (Reuters) - Large predatory fish -- marlin, tuna and swordfish -- are disappearing from the world's oceans, with their numbers down by 90 percent in the past 50 years, Canadian scientists said on Wednesday.
"From giant blue marlin to mighty blue fin tuna, and from tropical groupers to Antarctic cod, industrial fishing has scoured the global ocean," said Ransom Myers, a biologist at Dalhousie University in Canada.
"There is no blue frontier left."
Myers and his colleague Boris Worm estimate that compared with when industrial fishing began in the 1950s, less than 10 percent of large predatory fish species, the old men of the sea, have survived.
"This means that the larger, more sensitive species like the sharks will go extinct unless we reduce fishing in a very large-scale manner," Myers said in an interview.
The great fish, like the one immortalized in Ernest Hemingway's "Old Man and the Sea" are not only dwindling in numbers, they are also getting smaller.
Top predator fish are about one fifth to one half the size they used to be. Many fish never get the chance to reproduce, according to the researchers.
People had presumed there were untapped reservoirs of large fish, but Myers said that is not true. He warned that the sustainability of fisheries worldwide is being compromised.
"This calls for a reduction in fishing worldwide so we can allow the natural diversity and fish species to persist in the world's oceans," he said.
"A minimum reduction of 50 percent of fish mortality (the percentage of fish killed each year) may be necessary to avoid further declines of particularly sensitive species."
As well as the big predators, there are also fewer large ground fish such as cod, halibut, skate and flounder.
In a 10-year study, Myers and Worm examined data from fisheries and scientific research institutes to estimate the number of fish remaining in the world's oceans.
"It is a worldwide analysis...to find out what is happening in the world's oceans," said Myers, whose research is published in the science journal Nature.
If stocks are restored, he added, fishermen could get more fish out of the oceans with a fraction of the effort. If they aren't, the great fish will suffer the fate of the dinosaurs.

 

[grouperhead]

It is amazing what loosely enforced limits and commercial fishing can do to a fishery. Bo

 

[sterling]

They had news about this on NBC tonight. Very scary. I LOVE to eat tuna (steaks) and swordfish and grouper, but now I might have to stick to Orange Roughy and perch.

 

[sebae0]

do you beleive everything you read? i had a good english teacher who taught me this and its true. its one person or one organizations opinion so leave it at that. i agree though if we don't slow down we are gonna kill our own natural resources. 20 years ago they use to catch tuna in the 1200-1500 hundred pound range, now ther lucky to get close to 500 lbs. also dolphin school close to the tuna for a food source and they get killed indiscremently. dolphin safe tuna is a farce and i personally have not eaten tuna in 15 years. just my .02 cents

 

[fshhub]

just to add
Iam an avid fisherman AND conservationist
I have long held the belief that I will not personally kill or contribute to the killing of billfish.
A little known fact amoungst many is taht the great marlin, which so many target, is much older than we assume. A 15 ft blue is round 125 to 150 yrs old. this is a fish that is rarely seen, as mentioned, most are now much smaller. They do not get to reproductive age til I believe about 80 yrs old. For this reason, most do not ever become large enough to breed and thus their population is dwindling. And the more we kill, whether by choice or by playing ot death, the more we actually decimate their population. They cannot afford to even be fished. The sailfish and swordfish, I am sure, are not quite the same numbers, but they are not far off, so they too need the same attention.
I personally will not eat swordfish or attempt to target any of the billfish species. And, no it is not b/c of cost or availability. I have had opportunities to go after them, on several vacations, but instead have declined and decided to go after something else, like dolphin(the fish, not mammal), jacks, small tuna species, cuda or some other type of fish.
Thier presevation relies solely upon us as consumers and sportsmen.
Without mentioning any names, There is a certain chef. who is solely responsible for the menus and planning on all of a certain fleet of vacation cruise ships, who will NOT allow billfish on the menus of this large fleet. He, in my eyes is doing more than anyone of us can ever do, by boycotting the killing of billfish. However, we need ot follow his example, if we ever want to hope that these great fish willevne have a ghost of a chance of survival.
There are many species of fish that hurt for preservation, and I can name more than a few that I know of that have made a tremendous come back, in the last decade alone. And will continue to do so, as long as we continue to help them. However these particular species breed in a few short years and grow fairly fast.
REad this and believe it or not, IT IS A FACT. One that we need ot recognize and do something about.

 

[reefgirl]

I LOVE to eat tuna (steaks) and swordfish and grouper, but now I might have to stick to Orange Roughy and perch.

Actually Sterling, Orange Roughy is ALSO on the list of fish to avoid - they've been severely overfished.
Just an FYI
If anyone cares, here is a reference provide by the Monterey Bay Aquarium that lists the fish that are endangered & should be avoided:

 

[saltylakes]

i am an avid fisherman...... i do NOT eat swordfish or marlin EVER and many of my friends also live by this rule. If i see it on the menu, I actually talk to the manager and tell him the mistake he is making.
In miami, due to conservation the amount of sailfish is through the roof. We go out and 3-6 almost ever time and ALWAYS release any billfish we catch.
Tuna is fish that I might begin to stop eating, due to the overfishing.
I stick to dolphin, which grow incredibly fast and mature within a season.

 

[fshhub]

Originally posted by saltylakes
I stick to dolphin, which grow incredibly fast and mature within a season.
awesome fish, twice a beautifula s any other on the wall, IMO, and even more tasty.
Best part is their growth rate is unbelievable and their fight is more than worthy of any true angler.
Gotta love fish like that. In fact, if we did not fish them, they would probably die of old age in their 2d or 3d yr anyhow. Very few live 2 or even 3 yrs and almost none see 4, in which case they would be a giant by that time.

 

[hunterdaddy]

This is going to open a big ole can of worms but here goes anyways....
Extinction is the natural order of things. If you go back however many years you want 10 or 10,000 there are less and less different species of animals and plants as time progressed.
A few people refusing to eat fish will not effect the amount of fish killed every year (nor will one cruise line not serving it on their menu). Nor will for that matter regulations in the united states. One reason for that is that americans eat less fish per year than any other country that has ocean borders. (italy and japan eat more fish for example).
I live on lake erie. About 10-15 years ago gill nets were banned in lake erie because of killing non target fish. Major problem with this is fish numbers have continued to decline partly because canada still uses gill nets but more so because extinction is the natural order of life. Everything dies and from history most things die off.
If any of you are christians you will agree with me on this. War(americans entered the biblical city of babalyon for the first time in over 50 years), plagues (sars, aids, just watch there will be more) and famine are all things that go along with the end times. Just think what will happen to the world population once all these various species do die off (which they will eventually unless man gets a serious attitude change). (which from history we all see that he hasn't and probably won't)
If anyone is intrested in learning more about this there are a number of great books on it just ask me. hermenaterherm@cs.net

 

[sting_ray29]

good point

 

[fshhub]

not really a good point, many species have died off, but not because of us abusing our abilities, but because of changes in nature, and over longer periods of time. AND at the same time, other things have come along to replace the species dying off. It maore was an adaptaion than an extinction.
another good note is that we have sucessfully< through conservation and planning, allowed other species to recoop. The striped bass has made one heck of a come back and is doing better, through the use of slot limits alone, and in just a few short years.. The giant billfish, will take alot more than a few short years.
NOW< he is correct in saying that a few of us willnot make a difference, but all of us will. But, it will take all of us, not just us americans. or some of us americans. And not just the few of us who believe that there is a problem. However, even though you may feel that one cruise line wont, you can rest assured that this practice is hurting the billfishing industry. His not buying 2 lbs is one thing, but him being responsible for 1000s of pounds does make much more of a difference. And if we all follow suit, it will slow and hopefully they can make a come back too.
this attitude, islmost like the reason for not voting. "What difference can I make?" Well, the answer is none, but many of you with the same beliefs vote or stick together, IT DOES ADD UP.
hOWEVER, if none of us try, then we can be asured that NOTHING WILL HAPPEN. NOTHING AT ALL!
PLEASE, do not listen to logic like that, otherwise tehy billfish and tuna qill have NO chance at all, NONE!

 

[hunterdaddy]

fshub name one animal that has come along to replace another that has been extinct. elephants are not direct decendants of wolly mamoths and lions are not direct decendants of saber tooth tigers.
Amphibians all over the world are disappering. Want to know why? Ever hear about miners using canarys in caves as an early warning system for gases?? Well frogs and such do not have the same defences to pollution and harmful radiation that higher life forms have therefore they die first. They are kind of like global canarys. Care to guess who will be dieing of skin cancer on major epidimic porportions next?
The stripped bass declined mainly due to pollution. Since pollution now has more strict regulations you have seen an incline. Globaly pollution still is a major problem that more than likely will get worse than better. Think the Chinese care how much coal they use and what it does to their enviroment?
Being responsible for thousands of pous of billfish. ok 5 small billfish make 1000 pounds. Not much difference there. More than likely these fish will be fished untill it is no longer profitable to fish them due to such small numbers.
My point was that a few people doing something will not make much difference to anything as huge as the billfish and salmon industrys. Money talks in this day and age (which is sad) and untill mankind as a whole either has a major WORLDWIDE change of heart or is judged things will more than likely get worse than better.

 

[fshhub]

agreed, it takes more than just a few people to make a difference
as for species being replaced, well now we get into a gray area called evolution, and NO matter how you slice it(dont want a debate)
mammoths are no longer here, elephants are
dinosaurs no longer rule, we do
reptiles no longer rule the deep, instead sharks and possibly some unknown species of squid and such do. As wel as whales
even though they may not be directly related, one is gone, adn now others remain. Call it evolution, call it whatever, this is still the fact. Thousands of creatures no longer roam, but now thousands of others do.
Point is we need to try to stop the unnecceary decline, if we can. But it will take a godo part of us as a race to do so. Unlike the other creatures who have died off, it was due to global changes and ADAPTATION, now, it is because of us and not caring or at least trying.
polution.......... us
over killing.......... us
used as guinea pigs(ie the canaries)................. us
Mammoths.............. global changes
dinosaurs................global changes
other extinct fish and reptiles............. global changes
Striped bass....................... us, by over fishing AND polution
bill fish......................... us
salmon............................us
2 of the above are doing better, but only because of conservation not, luck, not adaptaion, again now it iss their survival.............. us
as for futrure comments, I will stay away from religious and evolutionary debates, that is not the issue here, but the fact that we as a society, not just the few of us on this board, need to do something. And it starts with the few of us reading this post, and spreading the seeds to correct this problem which we have created.

 

[hunterdaddy]

We agree on most points. I apologize if it seems I was trying to turn it into a religious debate because that wasn't really my attention.
The whole thing boils down to what is in peoples hearts really. And when you talk about peoples hearts it's beleif in God (or lack there of) that has just about everything to do with it. It is just sad what is in the hearts of the masses.
You did say that salmon are doing better along with the stripper? I was talking more along the lines of pacific salmon where the vast majority of comercial fishing is done. Just about any can of salmon you see in the store is pacific rather than atlantic. I had thought that their numbers are still greatly depleted due in part to deforestation and what that does to their breeding streams.

 

[fshhub]

Originally posted by hunterdaddy
You did say that salmon are doing better along with the stripper? I was talking more along the lines of pacific salmon where the vast majority of comercial fishing is done. Just about any can of salmon you see in the store is pacific rather than atlantic. I had thought that their numbers are still greatly depleted due in part to deforestation and what that does to their breeding streams.
ok, I will concede there, as for comercial salmon fishing, I know about nada.
Most of the salmon i personally notice, are the atalantics(species not region) I do get some coho and occassional chinook. But the only one I actually target is atlantic salmon.
as for the canned, I am only ever seeing pink, which I always thought to be chinook, a species whihch is doing pretty good out my way. I do not like this species, do not fish them and hate the snagging of them as well(not sporting for them or me). They are a very oily fish, and I just prefer to direct my attention towards those that I like. sorry, but I ma guilty of being self cenetered I guess.
Now, the salmo could do well, if our governement would do something about them too, they return to spawn I believe after about 5 yrs. So, it would not take long for them, unlike the billfish.
NY stocks thema dn regulates how and how many are fished, which is helping them out, right now, they are seeing some differences in certain years, I believe partly due to when and how they had introduced the frye.
good debate, and I think everyone should know that we do defeinitely agree on the point that something needs to be doen and it will take a great act, not just the few of us who visit swf.com. But all of us and our friends and contacts, and theirs, and theirs and so on.
For, as you have mentioned we do agree on these facts, at least the ones addresed in this thread's opening.