Where did all the fish go?

Daniel Kennedy
Dec 18, 2020
2 min read

There is an old saying that “there is plenty more fish in the sea”. This saying clearly refers to dating, suggesting there are other options available. But what if the number of fish within our oceans was actually declining? Consider these two quotes, one from 1883 and one from 2012:

“Any tendency to over-fishing will be meet with its natural check in the diminution of the supply… this check will always come into operation long before anything like permanent exhaustion has occurred”- Thomas Huxley, 1883 in his address to the International Fisheries Exhibition in London.

“The ocean is like a checking account where everybody withdraws but nobody makes a deposit. This is what’s happening because of overfishing. Many fisheries have collapsed, and 90 percent of the large fish, sharks, tuna and cod, are gone”- Enric Sala 2012

The reality is fishing practices have changed drastically over time. In 1883, most fisherman would be catching the fish for their family and to sell the surplus at the local market. Today, gigantic commercial fisheries haul in all sorts of marine life and then discard the species that does not meet their quota. The issue with this type of fishing is that it is creating unnecessary waste while fish are extracted at a greater rate than stocks can replenish.

The other difference between the situation in 1883 and modern day is the dramatic increase in population. In 1883, the global population was approximately 1.3 billion compared to 7.7 billion to date. Billions of people depend on fish as a source of protein today. This exponential population increase places a strain on supplies, from fish to beef.

A particularly contentious issue of overfishing is brewing just north of Australia within the Torres Strait region on the island of Daru, Papua New Guinea. The island traditionally is home to rock lobsters with locals using their long boats to bring in a catch. China’s plan to create a fish processing facility is divisive and will jeopardise not only border security, but also the commercial fishing sector. There is concern that this million-dollar plan will allow China to bypass commercial fishing laws. With the bigger boats and a new treaty there is a concern that these reefs will be wiped-clean – just like what is occurring in the Galapagos.

Similar practices have been displayed in the Mediterranean Sea. In the 1970s, the development of technology allowed fleets to fish more extensively. And as a result, popular fish species are overexploited at a rate of 10 times over the suggested limit. In a recent report, it was found that almost 93% of assessed fish stocks are overexploited. Large commercial trawlers act like ‘underwater bulldozers’, capturing and discarding almost half of unwanted marine life.

Then there are problems with plastic waste. It is estimated that the Mediterranean Sea has the highest levels of plastic pollution in the world. There are between 1000 and 3000 metric tonnes of plastic circulating in the sea.

So yes, there are less fish in the sea and more waste than ever before. And don’t be surprised if you catch an empty bottle of coke instead of a wild salmon.