The number of large fish, including tuna, marlin, swordfish, sharks, cod and halibut, in the world’s oceans have dropped by 90 percent in just 50 years, according to a study. This means that only 10 percent of all large fish are left in the ocean, and scientists are calling for an urgent restoration attempt on a global scale.
Even more concerning is the finding that it takes industrial fisheries only 10 to 15 years to diminish any new fish community they encounter to one-tenth of its original size.
In the 10-year study, researchers assembled data sets representing all major fisheries in the world and found that the impact on ocean ecosystems has been vastly underestimated.
According to researchers, the depletion of these fish could result in a complete re-organization of ocean ecosystems, the global consequences of which are unknown.
Researchers constructed trajectories of biomass and composition of large predatory fish communities from four continental shelves and nine oceanic systems.
Additionally, to measure the decline of fish among open ocean ecosystems, where it was thought there were still large reservoirs of fish, researchers used Japanese long-lining data. Long-lines are the most widespread fishing gear and are capable of catching a wide variety of species over vast areas.
Surprisingly, the decline in fish spreads all the way to the open ocean. According to researchers, in places where long-lines used to catch 10 fish per 100 hooks, they are now lucky to catch one.
While there was general acceptance of the data showing rapid depletion of fish communities, some fishery managers found the data "hard to accept," especially when in came to individual species such as tuna.
Further, according to data, large predator fish are only reaching sizes one-fifth to one-half what they used to be. With the intense fishing pressure on the oceans today, many fish do not even get the chance to reproduce, and many smaller fish are caught and discarded before reaching maturity.
Researchers did see increases among some faster-growing fish species. However, fisheries tend to focus on species that are doing well, causing their increase in population to be diminished before they get a chance to recover from past decreases.
Researchers say the solution to the problem is an overall reduction in the percentage of fish killed each year. While this may be difficult for fisheries initially, if fish populations were restored, fisherman could get the same amount of fish from the ocean with one-third to one-tenth of the effort required now.
Creating marine reserves that are off-limits to fisherman could also help. It would also likely increase the number of fish in surrounding waters because once fish within the reserves start to thrive they will inevitably spread beyond the boundaries of the reserve.
However, measures to increase fish populations are urgent. According to researchers, it’s important to understand that some fish populations are very close to extinction and could reach the "point of no return" if action isn’t taken now.
Nature May 15, 2003
Not only are nearly all fish contaminated with mercury, but now we may cause one of the healthiest foods on the planet to become extinct. Burning coal to generate electricity has caused the mercury in coal to become vaporized and deposited in the oceans where it is easily and rapidly bioconcentrated in the fish to levels that can cause harm to us.
How tragic that we could be so shortsighted, but that appears to be the pattern that we so often report. So few of us are committed to delayed gratification and the long-term perspective.
I do believe we will wake up before we cause fish to become extinct and that we will retain the capacity to raise some sort of fish that we can extract beneficial omega-3 oils from. Omega-3 fish oils are one of the healthiest additions you can add to your diet.
Fortunately, technology does give us some advantages and it is likely we can easily compensate for this mess. We have the capability to extract oils from fish and use certain gentle processing techniques to remove the mercury and PCBs.
So, high-quality fish oils can become an easy substitute for consuming fish and obtaining all of the marvelous health benefits of omega-3 fish oil without the expense or danger of consuming mercury and other toxins.
Always remember omega-3 fats are essential to your, and your children's, health. The best source for omega-3 is fish oil and cod liver oil, as, unlike other sources such as walnuts or flax seeds, it is high in two fatty acids crucial to human health, DHA and EPA. These two fatty acids are pivotal in preventing heart disease, cancer, and many other diseases. The human brain is also highly dependent on DHA--low DHA levels have been linked to depression, schizophrenia, memory loss, and a higher risk of developing Alzheimer's.
When choosing your fish oil or cod liver oil, it is important to remember that not all brands are the same. In my research--and in my clinical experience with my patients--I have found that 1) the liquid form is superior to capsules; 2) that certain brands definitely seem inferior to others; 3) that the Carlson's brand of fish oil/cod liver oil is of an exceptional quality and purity. It is likely not the only brand in the world of such high quality, but up to this point it is the only one of such quality that I can recommend, so I now carry the Carlson's fish oil and cod liver oil on Mercola.com; you can also check your local health food store to see if they carry it.
Also remember that this is the time of year when you will want to switch over from cod liver oil to fish oil unless you have had your vitamin D level tested and know that it is low.
Additionally, we have found another excellent source of beneficial omega-3s. Early last year we did extensive testing on fish from a company that takes the salmon from the interior of Alaska and were surprised and delighted to find that the mercury levels were virtually undetectable.
The salmon are sustainably harvested by a native Alaskan tribe to ensure the success of the species. After hatching, the Alaskan salmon swim upstream to pure, fresh water lakes where they feed and grow for one to three years before swimming out to the Bering Sea. The salmon are sustainably harvested during their migration.
So, if you enjoy the delicious taste and immense health benefits of some of the world's finest salmon--Alaskan wild red--but you are concerned about the mercury and other toxins now found in dangerous amounts in almost all fish and you want to be sure that the fish you eat are being harvested with conscience, then please consider trying the Alaskan wild red salmon from Vital Choice that tested safe and is now available in our Web site store.
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