Almost three-quarters of the planet is covered by oceans, containing 80 percent of all life on earth. But there’s growing concern that more and more of our marine life is in danger from overfishing.
The World Wildlife Fund says more than 85 percent of the world’s fisheries have been pushed to or beyond their biological limits.
The conservation group warns that rules and regulations are not strong enough to limit fishing to a sustainable level.
It says with this lack of oversight and the “open access” nature of the high seas, there’s little incentive for fishermen to leave fish in the water.
The International Union for the Conservation of Nature considers that Atlantic salmon, halibut and trout have been overfished to the point of vulnerability, and that 7.5 percent of Europe’s 1,200 or so marine species face extinction.
Are we consuming fish stocks to the brink of collapse? And who should take responsibility for preserving marine life for future generations?
2015 Al Jazeera Media Network