Running out of fish


During winter evenings at most seafood markets in the Pakistani city of Karachi, people flock to eateries that serve fish and shrimp.
"The demand for every kind of fish goes up at this time of the year. The types of fish that have few buyers during other seasons become favourites in winter. There is such a wide variety of fish such as red snapper, Indian salmon, black pomfret, and others." said Muhammad Rashid, seafood restaurant owner.
There’s even international demand for Pakistani seafood too.
The country exports to places like China, Japan, and Saudi Arabia.
But as demand for fish surges across the world, our oceans are paying the price.
The UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization says fish stocks are dwindling, and fast.
Scientists say when sea critters are taken out of the ocean faster than they can reproduce, it's called overfishing.
A practice widely regarded as unsustainable.
But how did it all start?
Back in the 19th century, the need for whale oil led hunters to over-harvest.
Within decades, whale populations were decimated. Many species still have not recovered.
Overfishing negatively impacts rates of reproduction, which is detrimental to ecosystems.
Imbalances are created, and some species – including vulnerable ones – are inadvertently caught in fishers’ nets.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres says “Humanity has been waging a senseless and self-defeating war on nature, and the ocean is on the front lines of the battle.”
But fish production is a complicated issue.
More than seven billion people live on the planet – about half rely on fish as a significant source of protein.
With the human population set to explode to 10 billion by 2050, the implications are dire.
And then there's the economic impact.
When fish disappear, coastal economies and jobs do too.
But some are working to restore the health of our seas.
In 2021, 14 countries responsible for 40 percent of the world's coastlines pledged to end overfishing. 
It was the biggest ocean sustainability initiative ever taken. The aim was to better manage ocean jurisdictions by 2025.
The private sector jumped on board - some say they’re now taking a sustainable approach.
But producing seafood in a manner our oceans can maintain doesn’t come cheap.
Around a trillion fish are killed each year.
In its latest report, the Food and Agriculture Organization revealed that fisheries and aquaculture production is at an all-time high - 214 million metric tonnes.
And the number of sustainably fished marine stocks is declining.
At a popular restaurant in Pakistan, customers relish all the seafood they can eat.
There’s no guarantee they’ll be able to enjoy it in the months and years to come.

And that brings us to the topic of sustainability. The National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration says seafood companies must meet certain criteria for their catch to be considered sustainable. They must consider their impacts on communities, rebuild depleted stocks, and minimize bycatch. And there are ways we can play our part.

Switch it up
Seafood lovers should try different types of seafood each time they dine or cook. Switching helps to keep fish stocks level and healthy.

Ask questions
Ask the store or restaurant owner how the fish was caught. Go for those that are pole-caught, or farmed sustainably. Avoid methods such as bottom trawling and blast fishing.

Choose wisely
Avoid purchasing seafood from depleted stocks. There are resources online on good alternatives.

Purchase products with certifications
Check for the tag to ensure what you're buying is coming from a sustainable fishery. They usually have strict rules for certification.

Consume local seafood
And consume local seafood. They’re often caught using less damaging fishing practices compared to those caught commercially.

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