Practices, Management and Interventions Required in Sustainable Fishing

In a world where fish are being hunted by massive ships and new technology, it is more important than ever for people to eat more sustainably. The need for sustainable fishing is rather large, because we are slowly killing off all the edible fish in the ocean. In fact, scientists predict that by 2048, there will be no more edible fish in the ocean if rates continue like this. Sustainable food means that “it is caught or grown in environmentally friendly ways”. One reason we should eat sustainable fish is because it is caught safely, and that the fish is good for us. Again, eating “red fish” is not sustainable in any way. Red fish (e.g., Bluefin tuna) are caught mostly by trawlers: large nets pulled by ships that drag up all kinds of sea life. One of the worst parts is when they take all the sea life that they don’t want (or is dead) and throw it overboard. Dead, rotting fish in such large quantities is not good for the ocean. Another reason we should eat sustainable seafood is because the way it affects people. Fish not caught in “environmentally friendly ways” can carry sicknesses. Eating sustainable seafood not only helps the environment, it also helps our family. This brief note primarily aims to give an insight into the significance and management of sustainable fishing. It also outlines the strategic intervention needed in order to ensure (a) that there is no overfishing, and (b) that sustainable fishing practices are in place. In the context of sustainability and unsustainability issuers, fishing and aquaculture techniques have also been looked into. In terms of methodology employed, secondary data (collected from various sources, including books, journal articles, government publications, etc.) have been analyzed using descriptive research method. The note concludes that the global community should choose seafood from “well-managed” and “sustainable fisheries”. To do so, there is need to educate ourselves about “where fish comes from and how it is caught”. The remaining struggle is that policymakers must consider the needs of consumers, the livelihoods of fishers, and the data of scientists as they look ahead. Another way to prevent overfishing and bycatch is to simply abstain from eating fish and other seafood.