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Fresh hope for world's fisheries | Fresh hope for world's fisheries |
(about 2 hours later) | |
There is fresh hope that the world's depleted fisheries can be saved from collapse, says a team of researchers. | There is fresh hope that the world's depleted fisheries can be saved from collapse, says a team of researchers. |
They said that efforts introduced to halt overfishing in five of the 10 large marine ecosystems they examined were showing signs of success. | They said that efforts introduced to halt overfishing in five of the 10 large marine ecosystems they examined were showing signs of success. |
A combination of measures - such as catch quotas, no-take zones, and selective fishing gear - had helped fish stocks recover, they added. | A combination of measures - such as catch quotas, no-take zones, and selective fishing gear - had helped fish stocks recover, they added. |
Details of the two-year study by 21 marine scientists appear in Science. | |
However, the team warned, a large percentage of the world's fisheries remained unmanaged, so much work still had to be done to halt the damage caused by overfishing. | However, the team warned, a large percentage of the world's fisheries remained unmanaged, so much work still had to be done to halt the damage caused by overfishing. |
Optimistic outlook | Optimistic outlook |
The authors said the study, which looked at key fisheries in Europe, North America and New Zealand, had two goals: | The authors said the study, which looked at key fisheries in Europe, North America and New Zealand, had two goals: |
The first was to examine current trends in fish stocks, while the second was to identify what tools had been used in attempts to replenish fish numbers. | The first was to examine current trends in fish stocks, while the second was to identify what tools had been used in attempts to replenish fish numbers. |
Fisheries that are tightly managed are showing signs of recovery | Fisheries that are tightly managed are showing signs of recovery |
"This was a little like a crime scene investigation for overfishing," said lead author Boris Worm, a marine biologist from Dalhousie University, Canada. | "This was a little like a crime scene investigation for overfishing," said lead author Boris Worm, a marine biologist from Dalhousie University, Canada. |
"We wanted to find out what were the tools that had been used to adjust exploitation rates and reduce the pressure on fish stocks," said Dr Worm. | "We wanted to find out what were the tools that had been used to adjust exploitation rates and reduce the pressure on fish stocks," said Dr Worm. |
"This allowed us to perform not only a much more in-depth assessment of fishery trends, but also - for the first time - to quantify the trends of exploitation rates, which is the proportion of fish removed from the ecosystem each year," explained Dr Worm. | "This allowed us to perform not only a much more in-depth assessment of fishery trends, but also - for the first time - to quantify the trends of exploitation rates, which is the proportion of fish removed from the ecosystem each year," explained Dr Worm. |
"This is really quite a big step forward because the exploitation rate is the primary driver of depletion and collapse, just as CO2 is the primary driver of climate change." | "This is really quite a big step forward because the exploitation rate is the primary driver of depletion and collapse, just as CO2 is the primary driver of climate change." |
However, he added that the exploitation rate was the one factor that could be adjusted by direct human intervention, such as introducing management practices. | However, he added that the exploitation rate was the one factor that could be adjusted by direct human intervention, such as introducing management practices. |
The authors observed: "Some of the most spectacular rebuilding efforts have involved bold experimentation with closed areas, [fishing] gear restrictions and new approaches to catch allocations and enforcement." | The authors observed: "Some of the most spectacular rebuilding efforts have involved bold experimentation with closed areas, [fishing] gear restrictions and new approaches to catch allocations and enforcement." |
But they warned that the signs of recovery should not be interpreted by policymakers as a sign that all was well beneath the waves. | But they warned that the signs of recovery should not be interpreted by policymakers as a sign that all was well beneath the waves. |
The majority of fisheries were still in trouble, and were not being managed or regulated properly. | The majority of fisheries were still in trouble, and were not being managed or regulated properly. |
But Dr Worm said that the team's "watershed paper" offered a blueprint for sustainable fishing. | But Dr Worm said that the team's "watershed paper" offered a blueprint for sustainable fishing. |
"It clearly shows what needs to be done to not only avoid fisheries collapse, but to actually rebuild fish stocks and ecosystems." | "It clearly shows what needs to be done to not only avoid fisheries collapse, but to actually rebuild fish stocks and ecosystems." |