Latest news 10 June 2010
Overfishing is having a devastating effect on the world’s oceans and their rich biodiversity, it has been claimed.
According to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), depleting the stocks of fish at the current rate will have “dire implications” for both food security and people’s livelihoods.
The charity claimed that around 65 per cent of fish stocks in the high seas are overfished.
In addition, cold water corals and sea mounts are being “bulldozed” by the indiscriminate approach to fishing.
“It is high time that the high seas received more attention, and that countries take their responsibilities as the current stewards of this global commons seriously,” said Alistair Graham, high seas policy advisor at WWF International.
He added that countries need to ratify the Agreement on Port State Measures against illegal fishing as well as extend Marine Protected Areas (MPAs).
Just one per cent of the world’s seas are protected under MPAs, compared with 14 per cent of land which is under protected status, the charity said.
Posted by Emily Thomas
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