How can fish be sustained

Fishing must be at a level that ensures it can continue indefinitely and the fish population can remain productive and healthy. What are the impacts? Fishing activity must be managed carefully so that other species and habitats within the ecosystem remain healthy.

Are operations well managed? MSC certified fisheries must comply with relevant laws and be able to adapt to changing environmental circumstances.

The sustainability of a fishery is an ongoing process. After they are MSC certified, fisheries are regularly reassessed and many are required to make further improvements. Scientific knowledge also improves all the time and fisheries are encouraged to develop new ways of conserving marine resources for future generations. In the future, Aquapods could potentially be equipped with propellers and a GPS system, and used to transport juvenile fish to arrive at their destination with the fish ready to harvest.

On land, some fish farms are using recirculation systems to recycle their water. Recirculation systems use times less water per kilo of fish than traditional land-based systems. In addition, the water quality can be monitored continuously, which lessens the risk of disease and the need for antibiotics. Denmark is a leader in recirculation system aquaculture. Hallenbaek Dambrug raises rainbow trout while recirculating over 96 percent of its water.

The discharge wastewater is filtered, and the sludge used for biogas or fertilizer. The discarded water is treated to remove nitrate.

Anadramous fish like salmon and trout are born in fresh water then migrate to the ocean, returning to freshwater to spawn. Salmon and trout are typically raised in fresh water until they are mature enough to migrate to salt water, where they are farmed in sea cages.

But some new recirculation systems allow these fish to spend their entire life on land by alternating fresh and salt water environments through controlling the water chemistry. Scientists at the University of Maryland Department of Marine Biotechnology developed a recirculation system that facilitates predictable reproduction in farmed fish, one of the main challenges of aquaculture. The system recycles 99 percent of its water, filters waste through microbial communities and produces methane as a biofuel.

By changing water temperature, lighting and salinity levels, and then feeding the fish a pellet that mimics a hormone prompting reproduction, the scientists have been able to get the fish to reproduce in predictable cycles. RDM Aquaculture, an indoor saltwater shrimp farm in Indiana, has recycled the same water for five years, produces zero waste and uses no chemicals.

The shrimp eat what they need to eat and the bacteria feed on their waste. An Integrated multi-trophic aquaculture site at Cooke Aquaculture Inc. Photo: Thierry Chopin. The mussels feed on wastes from the salmon while the kelp take up inorganic nutrients. Sea urchins and sea cucumbers consume larger particles on the ocean floor. The project studies how omega-3 fatty acids are produced and will determine the right balance of algae and bacteria to ensure the best water quality, nutrition for fish and shrimp, and decomposition of waste.

The rising prices of fish feed and the environmental impacts of over-exploiting forage fish for feed and fish oil have led to an increase in the farming of herbivorous fish such as carp and tilapia and omnivorous fish barramundi that require much less fishmeal to produce protein. Meanwhile, research is also ongoing to find alternatives to fishmeal feed or ways to make it more sustainable. In , only 36 percent of fishmeal came from the trimmings and waste heads and innards of fish fillets, which are usually discarded.

China increasingly relies on wild-caught fish for fishmeal and fish oil. They continue to follow these practices today. Tagbanuas fish for specific species only during certain times of the year, determined by tides and the moon, allowing fish stocks to replenish themselves.

They set aside certain areas, such as coral reefs, as protected spots in which fishing is prohibited. When they do fish, these traditional fishers primarily use hook-and-line methods, catching only what they need to feed themselves and their communities. A study lauded traditional Tagbanua practices as a way to prevent injury and death to local Irrawaddy dolphins, which become entangled in more modern fishing gear like nets and traps.

Their most common historical fishing practices were hook and line, spearfishing, and cast nets. Hooks constructed of bone, shell, or stone were designed to catch specific species. Fishers would also craft 2-meter 6-foot spears.

They would dive underwater or spear fish from above, again targeting specific animals. Cast nets were used by fishers working individually or in groups. The nets could be cast from shore or canoes, catching groups of fish. Some of these sustainable fishing practices are still used today. Native Hawaiians practice cast-net fishing and spearfishing. Modern spearfishing is practiced all over the world, including in South America, Africa, Australia, and Asia.

In many cases, spear guns are now used to propel the spear underwater. Spearfishing is a popular recreational activity in some areas of the United States, including Florida and Hawaii. This fishing method is considered sustainable because it targets one fish at a time and results in very little by catch. If you have ever gone fishing, chances are you used a rod and reel.

Rod-and-reel fishing is a modern version of traditional hook-and-line. Rods and reels come in different shapes and sizes, allowing recreational and commercial fishers to target a wide variety of fish species in both freshwater and saltwater. The different types of rods and reels, coupled with different locations and bait , mean fishers can catch pelagic fish like sailfish, bottom-dwellers like flounder, and freshwater species such as catfish and trout.

Rod-and-reel fishing results in less bycatch because non-targeted species can be released immediately. Additionally, only one fish is caught at a time, preventing overfishing. For commercial fishers, rod-and reel-fishing is a more sustainable alternative to long lining. Another way to prevent overfishing and bycatch is to simply abstain from eating fish and other seafood. Sylvia Earle, renowned marine scientist and National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence , suggests people need to take a break from eating seafood until we learn better how to maintain healthy fish and wildlife populations.

I know that every fish counts at this point. Some more than others, but I can no longer bear the thought of eating tuna knowing in what dire straits they currently are.

Many individuals, communities, and nations continue to rely on fish and other aquatic life as a source of food and raw materials. To maintain fish stocks, we need to reduce overfishing and bycatch through fisheries management. Managing fish populations is no easy task. It requires cooperation at all levels of government , from local communities to nations across the globe. Nations are responsible for regulating fishing in their coastal waters. Local municipalities manage the ocean closer to shore.

Of course, different stakeholders have different perspectives on fishing regulations. Fishers themselves are interested in both maintaining their livelihoods and ensuring that fish populations remain for years to come.

Conservationists work to protect marine and freshwater environments, often seeking to prevent fishing and other activities that remove wildlife from their habitats. Regular citizens want to continue to purchase the seafood they love to eat.

Scientists focus on ensuring the health of fresh and saltwater ecosystems. Regulating fishing in international waters is tricky; it requires nations with competing agendas and economic needs to agree on management approaches. There are many international agreements in place, however. Sustainable Fisheries Partnership SFP is an international NGO established to improve commercial fishing and aquaculture practices by working with those in the private sector that support sustainable seafood.

SFP aims to fill a specific gap between industry and the marine conservation community, operating through two main principles: information and improvement. This involves providing up-to-date information on fisheries to major buyers and other fisheries stakeholders, and using that information to engage everyone along the supply chain in fisheries improvements that move toward sustainability. It acts as a world body representing the concerns of traditional fishing communities whose livelihoods directly depend on the sustainable management of fisheries resources.

She holds an MA in Development Studies from the University of Melbourne, maintaining a strong research focus on global food security and food and agriculture politics.

Log In Account. Aquaculture Stewardship Council The Aquaculture Stewardship Council ASC is an international nonprofit organization recognizing and promoting responsible fish farming practices through their certification program. Institute for Fisheries Resources The Institute for Fisheries Resources IFR in San Francisco, California, is a nonprofit organization working to carry out the fishery research and conservation needs of working fishermen and fisherwomen.

International Seafood Sustainability Foundation In , scientists, industry leaders, and environmental activists launched the International Seafood Sustainability Foundation ISSF based on shared concerns about the future of global tuna fisheries. Marine Conservation Alliance The Marine Conservation Alliance MCA is an organization comprised of coastal communities, harvesters, processors, and western Alaska Community Development Quota entities that collectively harvest the majority of the seafood caught in U.

Marine Stewardship Council The Marine Stewardship Council MSC is an international nonprofit organization that recognizes and rewards sustainable fishing practices through their fishery certification program and ecolabel.

Oceana Oceana is the largest international advocacy organization focused solely on ocean conservation. Sustainable Fisheries Partnership Sustainable Fisheries Partnership SFP is an international NGO established to improve commercial fishing and aquaculture practices by working with those in the private sector that support sustainable seafood. Join the Conversation:. October 20, Search foodtank. Never miss an article: Sign up and join more than , Food Tank newsletter subscribers:.