Global Fisheries Collapse...

[PinchMe]

Your head was in the sand if you haven't noticed the media headlines surrounding the latest World catastrophe 'Global Fisheries Collapse...'.

Check out this link which covers it pretty well...

http://www.physorg.com/news81707368.html

So what do members think about this, scientists and environmentalists trying to shock the World into change? Or the harsh reality?

I personally believe the World can be changed for the better, one person at a time.

Think about it, most Sport Fishing BC forum members change the World everyday abiding by the fishing regulations set out for us by our Government.

Are these very regulations the root cause of overfishing in the first place? Does the government know what they're doing in Canada? How about the United States and the rest of the World's countries that regulate fisheries?

Now add in the World's rogue states that do not regulate fisheries, and exponential World population growth, and you'll soon realize that indeed Global Fisheries Collapse may be a reality... soon!

Governments Worldwide must come to their senses and impose strict overfishing penalties on countries who do not tow the line.

PinchMe

 

[hstat]

Lets see, 20 years ago some "know it all actor" said the oceans would be dead in 10 years, and the water levels would be over our heads! Missed that one! And in the 50's we needed to panic because we were entering an ice age, and we would run out of food, hmmm, missed another one. Weather forecasters can't get it right a week out, so we can predict 10, 20 50 years out? Remember $$$ drives many of these "studies", and if you can't create panic, you don't get the $$$. I work with a number of research scientists, they remind me that one small tweak and they can prove anything. The "I love tragedy" media will push the sky is falling claims, but ignoring the scientists that poo poo all this crap. So follow the $$$, and be critical thinkers, not lemmings. If we think we can create or fix the problem we are only kidding ourselves. A small volcano creates more damage than all of mankind. Should we do our best to be good stewards, of course. But be realistic.

 

[victoriaboater]

Ignorance is bliss I suppose...

 

[PinchMe]

There's truth to your comments 'hstat'.
You hit the nail on the head about media hyping doom and gloom stories, I work in the business, and it sells copies.
Yes, the almight dollar does drive research in many cases. Grant the bucks and a new research study erupts onto the World stage.
So who would benefit from this latest study concluding the 'World fisheries collapse'... hmmm?
PinchMe

 

[scottyboy]

i`m not a scientist but i`m somewhat aware of my surroundings. i`ve fished the oceans and rivers of vancouver island for about 15 years and i have a great love for the outdoors. i`ve even fished in foreign countries and talked with guides ect , they agree with me fishing has slowed down in there back yard as well. the decrease in fish returns is getting worse every year from what i`ve seen . ocean waters closing down rivers closing because of pour returns and it`s picking up speed . whales washing up on shore 4 no reasons . i really think it`s time now 2 make change , hopefully not 2 late. but the question is how can each of us do are part ??? . hopefully other i.e commerial and native and other countries can get on board as well . ya i`m a bleeding heart when it comes 2 something i love and want 2 protect for future generations. when all i`ve seen is decline.and it`s not just about money .

 

[PinchMe]

CA

quote:How do YOU spell East Coast cod??? How do you spell " Northern abalone"???? and I could go on and on.....

Every species lost causes a faster unraveling of the overall ecosystem. As the World population increases, so does pollution which eventually ends up in our Oceans, causing another species loss... kind of a self-fulfilling prophecy for us bipeds.

ScottyB

quote:ya i`m a bleeding heart when it comes 2 something i love and want 2 protect for future generations. when all i`ve seen is decline.and it`s not just about money .

It's embarrassing actually; this predicted 'Global Fisheries Collapse'could potentially happen during our lifetime. Our generation sure as heck didn't start the process, but we sealed its fate for our kids!

Not to end on a negative note, what can we do to change the direction fisheries are headed... any ideas out there?

We could send letters to our MLA's expressing our concerns. You will find the link to all Members of Parliament contact information at...
http://www.leg.bc.ca/mla/3-4.asp

PinchMe

 

[hstat]

There are 2 seperate issues here. At the same time the media was "hyping the global collapse", the news they ignored was the over 1000 new marine species just found off the Hawian islands. Hmmmm wonder why? Maybe it didn't fit the scare tactic template. Again, scare tactics sell, good news is ignored. The oceans are absolutely huge, but we veiw everthing from our little peice of the world. Now for the local issues, the cod and abalone did not disappear due to the sporties. The local fishing is not deteriating because of the sporties. For many years the 50 mile long nets started the salmon decline. Many of the lost "good old days" can be blamed on that era of destruction. But we have many unresolved issue locally. I have come across several streams 100% netted with rotting salmon, or 100's dead salmon on the bank, only stripped of eggs. They don't spawn real well on the bank. Governments do a terrible job of protecting stocks from commercial over fishing (can you say cod?) so lets see, are the 10% the sporties catch the problem or the 90% the sporties don't catch. Again, follow the $$$, including the bureaucrats. On the global side, we did not cause it, on the local side we need to push the powers that be to be more cognizant of the local fish problems. Don't get caught up in the global hype, but become vigalant on what we can do locally.

 

[scottyboy]

i think it`s funny that guys think sporties only take maybe 10% , it`s very true i agree 100% but everybody commercial , indians ect ect all hafta give a little . seems sporties never wanna give alittle .it`s the "my DADDY~S BIGGER THEN YOUR DADDY RESPONSE "that response really sucks butt . if other sides in this where willing 2 make changes would you??? . but hey thats just me wanting my children and future generations of my family and yours 2 enjoy what we enjoy instead of reading stories and looking at pictures in a book .

 

[PinchMe]

Thought I would do a little digging around government websites, check out this hogwash.
Sounds like a tourism brochure, rather than a 'get tough' on enforcing fishing violations/improving the ecosystem policy.

I've provided the link if you want to go deeper...

http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/wld/fsw/

quote:In 2005, the Provincial Government recognized the considerable benefits derived from British Columbia’s natural environment, including fisheries resources, by setting as one of its five goals for the next decade:

“To lead the world in sustainable
environmental management, with the
best air and water quality, and the
best fisheries management, bar none.”

In the past there have been various forms of fisheries management initiatives aimed at protecting fish values. Typically, these were targeted at specific stocks or locations. Today, however, science has recognized the integral linkage between upland conditions and their influence on maintaining aquatic conditions necessary to sustain healthy fish populations. Accordingly, the tools required to manage for connectivity at the entire watershed level have been set out in the Fisheries Sensitive Watersheds (FSW) portions of the Forest Practices and Range Act (FRPA) regulations, and specifically the Government Actions Regulation (Sec 14) and the Forest Practices and Planning Regulation (Sec 8).

To qualify as a FSW candidate, watersheds must meet two criteria: significant fisheries values and watershed sensitivity. Watersheds which meet the FSW test, and that have been designated as a FSW by the Minister, require Forest and Range Protection Act agreement holders to set an objective(s) in their Forest Stewardship Plans which sets out management directions that conserve important watershed level attributes protecting fisheries values. These attributes include the:

natural stream bed dynamics;
stream channel integrity;
quality, quantity and timing of water flow; and
natural, watershed level, hydrological conditions and integrity.
Recognizing that ecosystems, whether aquatic or terrestrial, are dynamic in nature, the Ministry of Environment is committed to a process of Adaptive Management. In concert with key partners and stakeholders, the Ministry will continually strive to improve regulatory direction based on the best available science and in a manner that ensures environmental protection and operational efficiency.

Then I came across this article, which aptly describes biped greed and Federal government ineptitude...

Rather than using this rule to reduce fishing pressure on the cod the Canadian Government and fishing industry saw a massive cash bonanza - now exclusively for Canadians. Huge investments and government subsides poured into the construction of the same destructive factory trawlers so big money could be made from the cod. In the short term catches rose again and the industry prospered. But beneath the waves the huge trawl nets were not only scooping up cod and anything in their path but the heavy gear was ploughing up the seabed and destroying the delicate ecosystem. The Grand Banks ecosystem was already on borrowed time.


Factory trawlers systematically emptied the Grand Banks of cod. Stocks have not recovered since all cod fishing was banned on the Canadian part of the Grand Banks in 1992. But trawlers still fish for cod in international waters of the Grand Banks.
As the cod declined the factory trawlers used powerful sonar and satellite navigation to target the few remaining large shoals of cod, especially during the breeding season when they gather in large numbers. Again short-term expediency was winning out over the long-term health of the fishery.

During the 1980s cod catches remained steady but that was because larger, more powerful and sophisticated vessels were chasing the few remaining fish. Traditional inshore fishermen had already noticed their catches declining but the government preferred to listen to the industrial fishing companies which claimed there was no problem. Scientific warnings in the late 80s went unheeded because any cut in catches would cause politically unacceptable job losses.

By 1992 the levels of Northern cod were the lowest ever measured. The government was forced to close the fishery, throwing 30,000 people out of work and devastating many fishing communities. Despite the ban, stocks have yet to recover and it is uncertain if they will fully recover given the changes wrought on the Grand Banks ecosystem by decades of industrial fishing.[/quote]

Can we learn from past mistakes, and make changes to improve the future of fisheries... hmmm?

PinchMe