Plenty more fish in the sea? Not for much longer

IUCN 19 Apr 11;

More than 40 species of marine fish currently found in the Mediterranean could disappear in the next few years. According to a study for the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™ on the status of marine fish in the Mediterranean Sea, almost half of the species of sharks and rays (cartilaginous fish) and at least 12 species of bony fish are threatened with extinction due to overfishing, marine habitat degradation and pollution.

Commercial species like Bluefin Tuna (Thunnus thynnus), Dusky Grouper (Epinephelus marginatus), Sea Bass (Dicentrarchus labrax) or Hake (Merluccius merluccius) are considered threatened or Near Threatened with extinction at the regional level mainly due to overfishing.

"The Mediterranean and Eastern Atlantic population of the Atlantic Bluefin Tuna (Thunnus thynnus) is of particular concern. There has been an estimated 50% decline in this species’ reproduction potential over the past 40 years due to intensive overfishing,” says Kent Carpenter, IUCN Global Marine Species Assessment Coordinator. “The lack of compliance with current quotas combined with widespread underreporting of the catch may have undermined conservation efforts for this species in the Mediterranean."

The use of fishing gear, such as fishing lines, gill or trawling nets, and the illegal use of driftnets means that hundreds of marine animals with no commercial value are captured, threatening populations of many species of sharks, rays and other fish, as well as other marine animals including dolphins, whales, turtles and birds.

“The use of trawling nets is one of the main problems for conservation and sustainability of many marine species,” says Maria del Mar Otero, IUCN-Med Marine Programme Officer. “Because it is not a selective technique, it captures not only the target fish but also a high number of other species while also destroying the sea bottom, where many fish live, reproduce and feed.”

The study emphasizes the need to reinforce fishing regulations, create new marine reserves, reduce pollution and review fishing quotas, in particular the number of captures allowed for threatened species.

“Responsible consumption is one of the ways in which we can all contribute to the conservation of many marine species,” says Catherine Numa, IUCN-Med Species Programme Officer. “Based on the findings of the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, we hope that politicians will make the appropriate decisions to secure this important food source for the future, whilst protecting and valuing the biological diversity of the planet at the same time.”

This is the first comprehensive regional IUCN Red List assessment of the native marine fish species for an entire sea. The report also highlights the substantial lack of information on the conservation status of nearly one third of these Mediterranean marine fish (which were assessed as Data Deficient), a significant proportion of which are considered endemic to the region. Further research may show that the Data Deficient group could in fact include a large proportion of threatened fish. Increased funding and research therefore need to be directed towards such Data Deficient species.

Fish on brink of extinction sparks calls to eat responsibly
The Independent 26 Apr 11;

A conservation group is urging people to consume responsibly after releasing a report that found that more than 40 species of fish found in the Mediterranean - including bluefin tuna and sea bass - could disappear in the next few years.

According to a study released this week for the International Union for Conservation of Nature, almost half of the species of sharks and rays and 12 species of bony fish in the Mediterranean Sea are threatened with extinction due to overfishing, marine habitat degradation and pollution.

The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, described as the first of its kind for an entire sea, singled out commercial species like bluefin tuna, dusky grouper, sea bass and hake as threatened or near threatened with extinction at the regional level due to overfishing.

Demand for bluefin tuna has skyrocketed along with the popularity of sushi around the world, as bluefin is considered the best tasting tuna. In Japanese restaurants, bluefin tuna is usually distinguished as maguro or toro.

Hake is a popular fish in Spanish cuisine.

"Responsible consumption is one of the ways in which we can all contribute to the conservation of many marine species," said Catherine Numa, program officer.

The IUCN report comes on the heels of Greenpeace USA's fifth annual seafood sustainability report, "Carting Away the Oceans" released earlier this month, which named major grocery chain Safeway as the top-rated retailer in the US on their sustainability scorecard.

On a 100-point scale, the "surprising" leader scored the highest at about 65, beating out organic health food store Whole Foods and snatching the title from last year's top-rated retailer Target. The report card evaluated everything from corporate policies, initiatives, transparency and red list sales.

Safeway was commended for adopting a no-take Marine Reserve policy that commits to buying seafood from the Ross Sea, a position first pioneered by American retailer Wegmans. Antarctica's Ross Sea, also known as the "Last Ocean," is described as the last remaining intact, pristine oceanic ecosystem in the world.

The chain has also discontinued the sale of orange roughy, a fish that bears few young and takes 20 years to mature sexually, making it a slow replenishing stock and particularly vulnerable to industrial fishing. Orange roughy fisheries also use destructive bottom trawling methods.

Safeway has 1,700 locations in Canada and the US.

Rounding out the top five top retailers in the US were Target, Wegmans, Whole Foods and Ahold.

"It's an amazing testament to the ongoing pressure from consumers, supporters and activists that in just three years, we've gone from a situation where all twenty major US retailers assessed failed to today, when fifteen retailers have now achieved a passing score," said Casson Trenor, senior markets campaigner.

Greenpeace offers consumers the following tips on how to eat seafood responsibly:

Voice concerns of overfishing, bycatch and unsustainable seafood at the grocery store and fishmonger

Refrain from eating red list species

Support responsible seafood merchants by shopping with them

Eat less fish.

To learn more about sustainable seafood and retailers, visit http://www.greenpeace.org/usa/en/campaigns/oceans/seafood/