Gone Fishing

Industrial overfishing and other man-made factors have pushed one-third of the world’s fish stocks to be threatened with extinction, and many other species are not far behind. The problem represents a serious risk to ocean biodiversity, and to large human populations that rely on fish for day-to-day survival. What can be done?

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Host
  • Gabrielle Sierra
    Director, Podcasting
Credits

Asher Ross - Supervising Producer

Markus Zakaria - Audio Producer and Sound Designer

Rafaela Siewert - Associate Podcast Producer

Episode Guests
  • Manuel Barange
    Director, Fisheries and Aquaculture Policy and Resources Division, Food and Agriculture Organization
  • Michele Kuruc
    Vice President, Ocean Policy, World Wildlife Fund
  • Stewart M. Patrick
    James H. Binger Senior Fellow in Global Governance and Director of the International Institutions and Global Governance Program

Show Notes

One third of the world’s fish stocks are currently overfished. Industrial fishing wreaks havoc on fragile marine ecosystems, and leads to egregious waste of marine life. The crisis is compounded by a lack of centralized oversight of the high seas and widespread illegal fishing operations.

 

Yet, as the world’s population booms, demand for fish as a source of protein and micronutrients is only expected to grow, particularly in some of the world’s poorest countries. In this episode, three experts assess the problem, and offer strategies for how the world can work together to preserve one of the earth’s most important shared resources.

 

From Manuel Barange

 

Feeding 9 billion by 2050—Putting fish back on the menu,” Food Security
 

Keynote Address, ICES Annual Science Conference 2019
 

Arctic Frontiers Conference 2020

 

Talking Oceans and Climate Change,” Food and Agriculture Organization

 

From Michele Kuruc

 

Michele Kuruc Before the U.S. Senate Finance Committee [PDF]

 

Life and Law,” World Wildlife Magazine

 

An Analysis of the Impact of IUU Imports on U.S. Fishermen [PDF],” World Wildlife Fund

 

The Threat of Illegal Fishing Is Too Great to Ignore,” Yahoo! News

 

From Stewart M. Patrick

 

Why the U.N. Pact on High Seas Biodiversity Is Too Important to Fail,” World Politics Review

 

Read More

 

North Pacific pollock fleet preps for season after tough 2020,” Alaska Journal of Commerce

 

Seafood from slaves,” Associated Press

 

Freshwater fish are in ‘catastrophic’ decline with one-third facing extinction, report finds,” CBS

 

EU must end overfishing to protect our oceans, say scientists,” Euronews

 

The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture 2020,” Food and Agriculture Organization

 

Revealed: seafood fraud happening on a vast global scale,” Guardian

 

Hidden Chains,” Human Rights Watch

 

Dramatic shark decline leaves ‘gaping hole’ in ocean, new study reports,” Japan Times

 

Japan’s chefs build on the growing market for sustainable seafood,” Japan Times

 

Another Side of Tilapia, the Perfect Factory Fish,” New York Times

 

‘The Fish Rots From the Head’: How a Salmon Crisis Stoked Russian Protests,” New York Times

 

The Battle Over Fish Farming In The Open Ocean Heats Up, As EPA Permit Looms,” NPR

 

Governments Should Act to End Harmful Fishing Subsidies,” Pew Charitable Trusts

 

Pressure Mounts on Governments Worldwide to Stop Subsidizing Overfishing,” Pew Charitable Trusts

 

5 Years Later: What’s Changed Since Mashiko Sushi Went Sustainable,” Seattle Magazine

 

Lawless Ocean: The Link Between Human Rights Abuses and Overfishing,” Yale Environment 360

 

Watch or Listen

 

The Fish on My Plate,” FRONTLINE

 

The four fish we’re overeating—and what to eat instead,” TED

 

Will the ocean ever run out of fish?” TED-Ed

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