One of the easiest ways to reduce the amount of commercially killed fish species is for consumers to “hate the plate”. Consumers must demand restaurants and distributors to know where their fish comes from, and what they are buying and eating. Consumers must also be educated, and know that they are not only buying a meal, but the lives of thousands of other marine species. Average citizens can make a huge difference by using simple websites, such as FishWatch.org (sponsored by NOAA).8 This website allows people to see where certain fish species come from, how they are harvested, and how to avoid seafood fraud. Some fish are intentionally unlabeled on purpose, but consumers can work their way around the marketing. Consumers can also avoid purchasing overfished species that aren’t managed in a way that ensures recovery, such as: shrimp, bluefin tuna, orange roughy, abalone, and shark fin soup.18
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Protect the keystone
species or parts of
ecosystems
The most effective way to raise the supply and populations of different species of endangered fish from overfishing is to create protected areas for them to reproduce, without having to worry about predators.1 Spawning and nursing areas have proven to assist in high increases in the populations of many fish, and have helped to create more food security around the world. Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) protect natural resources in certain areas where fishing is restricted or banned. Currently, only 1% of the oceans are MPAs.16 This statistic needs to be raised dramatically as soon as possible, and humans need to start taking action to protect their food supply before it’s too late.
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Put Pressure on governments &
enforcement
Part of stopping this problem is to hit it at its power source. Governments around the world give billions of dollars to fishing companies in subsidies each year.16 Protection must be enforced in order for change to actually happen. The “Save Our Seas Foundation” creates projects in the Cocos (Keeling) Islands and the Maldives, protecting wildlife, and petitioning for the limiting of fishing subsidies.16 Aside from stopping subsidies, government regulations also need to be put towards stopping pirate fishing. This is a major problem in many islands. 8
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Educate Consumers