Where did the fish go?

Introduction

Global fish reserves have seen a worse decline that what was known previously. The technology-powered UK trawl fishing fleet of today catches 17 times less the amount of fish than its sailing counterparts in 1889. Researchers calculated landings of fish per unit power used from 1889 to 2007 and found

• Catches had peaked in 1937 which was 14 times higher than in 2007.
• In all, the availability of bottom-sea fish has fallen 94 per cent within a century.
• Fishers see 500 less landings of the halibut fish.
• The haddock has declined more than 100 times.
• Plaice, woffish, hake and ling have declined more than 20 times.

Source

Down To Earth, June 2010