The United States is proving, time and time again, from sea to shining sea, that aggressive fisheries management does what it's supposed to do -- helps fisheries recover from way, way depleted to economically viable and also species-viable: i.e., the fish aren't in danger of not coming back. These examples should show the world that if you take action, fisheries can be managed successfully. The problem is, in a lot of other oceans and places around the world, the people need the fish. Every day. So we need to give them support not to fish, and replace the protein in their diets that fish supply. In other places (like Japan and Spain at the forefront) the tradition of eating seafood has to be addressed. C'mon, it's fine to eat seafood some days, just not EVERY day.
Maybe then we'll make progress. Meanwhile, back in the USA (and USA Today):
Depleted fisheries rebound: NRDC
"We now have the strongest fishery system in the world," says NRDC senior attorney Brad Sewell, noting many foreign fisheries are in decline. His report says there's an upswing in the number of U.S. recreational fishing trips and the gross commercial revenue of the 27 rebuilding stocks — worth a total $585 million annually.
"We're at this watershed moment," Sewell says, referring to the re-authorization of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act. That law was used to help reverse what was an emerging crisis in the 1990s when many of New England's iconic groundfish stocks, such as cod, haddock and flounder, faced collapse.
Follow suit, world. Follow suit.
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