For many people, ‘sustainable’ is synonymous with ‘good’, so it might come as a surprise to discover ‘sustainable fishing’ can remove up to 80 percent of a fished species’ natural population. Even bottom trawling, notorious for the damage it causes to the seafloor, can fall under the definition of sustainable fishing.
In fisheries science, sustainability typically means leaving 20 to 30 percent of a fish stock intact so the fish population can grow (and be harvested) at its maximum rate. But recent research shows restricting offshore fishing would do far more to protect marine ecosystems and coastal livelihoods than the most ‘sustainable’ fishing practices.
Removing 70 to 80 percent of large fish species from the oceans has consequences.
