Sustainable Wedesday: Overfishing

The December 2012 issue of Cruising World* is a "green" edition: meaning it is full of "green" things and information about the cruising / sailing life. Included is an interview / article by Paul Greenberg of Four Fish fame. The article "Overfishing: What Sailors Should Know" (20-22) includes the following questions by Crusing World (I'm purposely only giving you the questions to perk your curiousity):

"CW: Let's start with the word overfishing. A lot of us don't really know what it is. What is overfishing?"

"CW: How do you stop overfishing?"

"CW: Then does it really matter which fish we eat?"

"CW: Does that mean that you're against farmed fish?"

"CW: Speaking of local ports, if I own a sailboat, what can I do in my home port to help fish populations?"

"CW: So we should eat a lot more farmed oysters and mussels?"

     By the way, I learned something new with Greenberg's answer. I didn't realize that "mussells actually have massive amounts of heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids - nearly as much as salmon." I wonder how many mussells one has to eat, however, to compair with a serving of salmon.

"CW: Is there anything we can do differently to help the ocean?"

"CW: But is it still OK for me to throw out a line while under sail and catch fish for dinner?"

"CW: With overfishing, global warming, ocean acidification, energy and mineral mining of the ocean floor - is the ocean doomed?"

And what are Paul Greenberg's Dos and Don'ts about eating and fishing? From the side bar (21):

Dos

- Buy seafood from small-scale fishermen who use gear that does not harm the bottom and that doesn't kill untargeted species.

- Find a community-supported fishery near you. Start your CSF search with the Northwest Altantic Marine Alliance (namanet.org/csf) and Local Catch (www.localcatch.org).

- If you eat farmed fish, choose Arctic char and barramundi.

- Cooperate with shellfish farmers in coastal waters near you.

- Eat more farmed oysters and mussels.

- If you're sailing in state-regulated waters, check first with state fish-and-game authorities so you know the regulations. When in federal waters, be suer toe check the federal regulations.

- When you fish, make use of barbless and circle hooks.

Don'ts

- Don't dump raw sewage overboard. It contributes to an overabundance of nutrients, and this eoxgenated the marine enviornment.

- If you're fishing from your boat, don't use treble hooks.

- If you have a choice between a motor and a sail, sail.

Blessed Be,

Joel

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* I thought this article and issue would be on-line, as the magazine is in the library. But apparently, it's not quite up yet. We'll have to wait for the links.