Nuttall 2011 (Nick Nuttall, head of Media Services, United Nations Environment Programme, “Overfishing: a Threat to Marine Biodiversity”, 2011, http://www.un.org/events/tenstories/06/story.asp?storyID=800)
Fishing is central to the livelihood and food security of 200 million people, especially in the developing world, while one of five people on this planet depends on fish as the primary source of protein. According to UN agencies, aquaculture - the farming and stocking of aquatic organisms including fish, molluscs, crustaceans and aquatic plants - is growing more rapidly than all other animal food producing sectors. But amid facts and figures about aquaculture's soaring worldwide production rates, other, more sobering, statistics reveal that global main marine fish stocks are in jeopardy, increasingly pressured by overfishing and environmental degradation.¶ “Overfishing cannot continue,” warned Nitin Desai, Secretary General of the 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development, which took place in Johannesburg. “The depletion of fisheries poses a major threat to the food supply of millions of people.” The Johannesburg Plan of Implementation calls for the establishment of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs), which many experts believe may hold the key to conserving and boosting fish stocks. Yet, according to the UN Environment Programme’s (UNEP) World Conservation Monitoring Centre, in Cambridge, UK, less than one per cent of the world’s oceans and seas are currently in MPAs.¶ The magnitude of the problem of overfishing is often overlooked, given the competing claims of deforestation, desertification, energy resource exploitation and other biodiversity depletion dilemmas. The rapid growth in demand for fish and fish products is leading to fish prices increasing faster than prices of meat. As a result, fisheries investments have become more attractive to both entrepreneurs and governments, much to the detriment of small-scale fishing and fishing communities all over the world. In the last decade, in the north Atlantic region, commercial fish populations of cod, hake, haddock and flounder have fallen by as much as 95%, prompting calls for urgent measures. Some are even recommending zero catches to allow for regeneration of stocks, much to the ire of the fishing industry.¶ According to a Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) estimate, over 70% of the world’s fish species are either fully exploited or depleted. The dramatic increase of destructive fishing techniques worldwide destroys marine mammals and entire ecosystems. FAO reports that illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing worldwide appears to be increasing as fishermen seek to avoid stricter rules in many places in response to shrinking catches and declining fish stocks. Few, if any, developing countries and only a limited number of developed ones are on track to put into effect by this year the International Plan of Action to Prevent, Deter and Eliminate Unreported and Unregulated Fishing. Despite that fact that each region has its Regional Sea Conventions, and some 108 governments and the European Commission have adopted the UNEP Global Programme of Action for the Protection of the Marine Environment from Land based Activities, oceans are cleared at twice the rate of forests.¶
Overfishing is a problem that needs to be solved, one billion people depend on fish for survival
FOC 2012 (Fisheries and Oceans Canada, has the lead federal role in managing Canada’s fisheries and safeguarding its waters, “Overfishing and Food Security”, June 8, 2012, http://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/international/media/bk_food-eng.htm)
The impact of global overfishing is typically measured in environmental and economic terms, but often overlooked is the threat depleted fish stocks pose to the millions of people around the world who depend on fish for food.¶ According to the World Resources Institute, about 1 billion people – largely in developing countries – rely on fish as their primary animal protein source. Fish is highly nutritious, and it serves as a valuable supplement in diets lacking essential vitamins and minerals.¶ During much of the last half-century, the growth in demand for animal protein was satisfied in part by the rising output of oceanic fisheries. Between 1950 and 1990, the oceanic fish catch increased roughly fivefold, from 19 million to 85 million tonnes. During this period, seafood consumption per person nearly doubled, climbing from 8 to 15 kilograms.[1]¶ Unfortunately, the human appetite for seafood is outgrowing the sustainable yield of oceanic fisheries. Today, more than 70 per cent of the world’s fisheries are either fully exploited or depleted. Production levels in many fishing nations have fallen to historically low levels, confirming that some fish stocks are in a fragile state.¶ Global investments in aquaculture are seen as one way to help bridge the growing demand for fish and seafood. While this may also help contribute to food security, it is only part of the solution. Action is still needed to create sustainable fish stocks in the high seas.¶ One of the major factors contributing to the current predicament of global fisheries is illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing. Illegal fishing undermines efforts to conserve and manage fish stocks. This situation leads to the loss of both short and long-term social and economic opportunities, and to negative effects on food security.¶ IUU fishing is especially problematic for developing nations. These States can lose tens of millions of dollars to illegal fishing, and may not have the governance structures in place to ensure proper fisheries management. [2]¶ The world's oceans, lakes and rivers are harvested largely by artisanal fishers. Their catches provide essential nourishment for poor communities, not only in Africa and Asia, but also in many parts of Latin America and islands in the Pacific and Indian Oceans. Of the 30 countries most dependent on fish as a protein source, all but four are in the developing world.[3]¶ The rapid growth in demand for fish and fish products, in combination with shrinking supply, is leading to significant increases in fish prices. As a result, fisheries investments have become more attractive to both entrepreneurs and governments. This is to the detriment of small-scale fishing and fishing communities all over the world. Developing countries are also taking a growing share of the international trade in fish and fishery products. This may have both benefits and drawbacks. While the exports provide valuable foreign exchange, the diversion of fish and fish products from local communities and developing regions can deprive needy people of a traditionally cheap, but highly nutritious food. ¶ The Government of Canada recognizes the threat that both overfishing and IUU fishing pose to global food security. These issues were specifically addressed in the Ministerial Declaration of the St. John’s Conference on the Governance of High Seas Fisheries and the United Nations Fish Agreement and the Bali Plan of Action. In these international commitments, concrete measures were outlined to: strengthen regional fisheries management organizations to help ensure sustainable fisheries; and assist developing nations in implementing relevant agreements, instruments and tools for the conservation and management of fish stocks.¶ Sustainable fish stocks are needed as a significant and renewable source of healthy food for large parts of the world’s population. Continued sustainable use provides for increased food security on a global basis.
Overfishing hurts developing countries
Over fishing and other destructive practices hurts poor communities and developing countries—food security is put at risk
Silva 14 (Kristian, Brisbane Times Journalist, “Over-fishing damages tropics, international report says”, Brisbane Times, http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/overfishing-damages-tropics-international-report-says-20140610-zs2gr.html, Date accessed 6/30/14)
Excessive fishing in the world’s tropical areas could eventually put the lives of poorer communities at risk, according to a soon-to-be released international report. The State Of The Tropics report, compiled by 10 international institutions including Queensland’s James Cook University, has found habitat degradation and environmental change could reduce fisheries productivity in the region by up to 50 per cent. The area defined as “The Tropics” is essentially the band of countries around the equator - taking in northern Australia, Southeast Asia, India, most of Africa, Central America and parts of South America. Forty per cent of the world’s population occupies the area that is home to 80 per cent of the world’s biodiversity, according to the researchers. “The impact of persistent over-fishing has had long-term impacts on the productivity of marine ecosystems, notably in areas where poverty overshadows environmental concerns, and where unregulated and illegal fishing is prevalent,” they wrote. The researchers say proper management of wild marine stocks is a “critical issue” for small communities, which would face “significant food and human security implications” if the local fishing trade collapsed. They found that the marine catch in the topics rose to 32 million tonnes in 2012, accounting for 42 per cent of global fishing that year. This was an increase of about 30 million tonnes on the region’s marine catch in 1950. However fishing in the rest of the world is declining, with figures showing the marine catch dropped from 59 million tonnes in 1988 to 45 million in 2010. A combination of small operators and large commercial fisheries were to blame for the tropics’ plight, the researchers said, along with “destructive” fishing practices including bottom trawlers, dynamite and poison. The full report will be launched on June 29 by well-respected Burmese politician Aung San Suu Kyi.
Fish are critical to the food security of developing countries—illegal and overfishing are contributing to a global 70% fish depletion
Fisheries and Oceans Canada No Date (“Overfishing and Food Security”, http://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/international/media/bk_food-eng.htm)
The impact of global overfishing is typically measured in environmental and economic terms, but often overlooked is the threat depleted fish stocks pose to the millions of people around the world who depend on fish for food. According to the World Resources Institute, about 1 billion people – largely in developing countries – rely on fish as their primary animal protein source. Fish is highly nutritious, and it serves as a valuable supplement in diets lacking essential vitamins and minerals. During much of the last half-century, the growth in demand for animal protein was satisfied in part by the rising output of oceanic fisheries. Between 1950 and 1990, the oceanic fish catch increased roughly fivefold, from 19 million to 85 million tonnes. During this period, seafood consumption per person nearly doubled, climbing from 8 to 15 kilograms.[1] Unfortunately, the human appetite for seafood is outgrowing the sustainable yield of oceanic fisheries. Today, more than 70 per cent of the world’s fisheries are either fully exploited or depleted. Production levels in many fishing nations have fallen to historically low levels, confirming that some fish stocks are in a fragile state. Global investments in aquaculture are seen as one way to help bridge the growing demand for fish and seafood. While this may also help contribute to food security, it is only part of the solution. Action is still needed to create sustainable fish stocks in the high seas. One of the major factors contributing to the current predicament of global fisheries is illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing. Illegal fishing undermines efforts to conserve and manage fish stocks. This situation leads to the loss of both short and long-term social and economic opportunities, and to negative effects on food security. IUU fishing is especially problematic for developing nations. These States can lose tens of millions of dollars to illegal fishing, and may not have the governance structures in place to ensure proper fisheries management. [2] The world's oceans, lakes and rivers are harvested largely by artisanal fishers. Their catches provide essential nourishment for poor communities, not only in Africa and Asia, but also in many parts of Latin America and islands in the Pacific and Indian Oceans. Of the 30 countries most dependent on fish as a protein source, all but four are in the developing world.[3] The rapid growth in demand for fish and fish products, in combination with shrinking supply, is leading to significant increases in fish prices. As a result, fisheries investments have become more attractive to both entrepreneurs and governments. This is to the detriment of small-scale fishing and fishing communities all over the world. Developing countries are also taking a growing share of the international trade in fish and fishery products. This may have both benefits and drawbacks. While the exports provide valuable foreign exchange, the diversion of fish and fish products from local communities and developing regions can deprive needy people of a traditionally cheap, but highly nutritious food. [4] The Government of Canada recognizes the threat that both overfishing and IUU fishing pose to global food security. These issues were specifically addressed in the Ministerial Declaration of the St. John’s Conference on the Governance of High Seas Fisheries and the United Nations Fish Agreement and the Bali Plan of Action. In these international commitments, concrete measures were outlined to: strengthen regional fisheries management organizations to help ensure sustainable fisheries; and assist developing nations in implementing relevant agreements, instruments and tools for the conservation and management of fish stocks. Sustainable fish stocks are needed as a significant and renewable source of healthy food for large parts of the world’s population. Continued sustainable use provides for increased food security on a global basis.
Overfishing hurts coastal communities
Overfishing prevents people in coastal nations from having food security
Jones, 2013 The commercial exploitation of global fisheries has resulted in the unequal distribution of marine resources, especially for poor people in developing nations who rely on seafood as a primary source of protein and livelihood. As affluent nations increasingly demand high- value fish, fisheries have become privatized, making it difficult for people in developing nations to compete with global commercial fishing fleets (Greenberg). As a result, issues of food scarcity and loss of employment will continue to affect the 2.6 billion people that live in coastal communities and developing nations that greatly depend on fish to survive (Hauge, et al. 1). With the globalization of the fishing industry, overfishing has become a prominent food security issue that affects people on every continent, and requires multilateral cooperation and compliance in order to secure the livelihood of millions and prevent the collapse of the fishing industry. If this current trend continues, experts agree that the viscous cycle of overfishing will undoubtedly result in the collapse of ecosystems and economies on a global scale. As world consumption of marine resources continues to rise, so do dire predictions for the future of the world’s oceans and those who rely on them for survival. As the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) publicized, “Once considered inexhaustible, our oceans are now in a state of global crisis as more and more people compete for fewer and fewer fish” (“The State” 10). Although experts disagree on the extent of decline, it is estimated that 53 percent of the world’s marine fishery resources have been completely depleted or fished to the maximum sustainable level, while 32 percent is currently being overfished, depleted, or recovering from depletion (“Fisheries and Aquaculture”). Every year more than 170 billion pounds of wild fish and shellfish are caught in the oceans, which is roughly three times the weight of every man, woman, and child in the United States (Greenberg). The Food and Agriculture Organization and the World Bank warn that the current rate of exploitation will result in increased pressure on seafood in the future (“The State” 8). Currently, fish provides about 1.5 billion people with 20 percent of their animal protein, and provides another 3 billion people with at least 15 percent of such protein (“The State” 3). However, as the demand for seafood increases, so will the price. This will result in billions of people unable to afford seafood due to increasing demand in wealthy nations, and vast commercial fleets that will out-compete local subsistence fishermen. The world catch is already unstable and unequally divided among the nations of the world, and will only be exacerbated as fish stocks are decimated.
