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Overfishing in the Mediterranean Sea has led to the targetting of smaller and smaller fish.
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Recent estimates of the Food and Agriculture organization of the United
Nations (FAO) have identified some of the most important fisheries in
the region, such as bluefin tuna, albacore, hake, swordfish, marlin,
red mullet and sea bream as threatened. According to the European
Environment Agency, more than 65 percent of all fish stocks in the
Mediterranean are outside safe biological limits.
Large open water fish like tuna have been a shared fisheries resource for thousands of years. In 1999 Greenpeace published a report revealing that the amount of bluefin tuna in the Mediterranean had decreased by over 80 percent in the previous 20 years. The situation has not improved with pirate fishing, juvenile catches and the recent addition of tuna ranching dramatically depleting stocks to dangerous levels.
The situation is not helped by unregulated fisheries - like that of the swordfish - often with immature fish as the bulk of their catch. Rather than targeting undersized fish that have not even had a chance to breed, we should be protecting spawning and nursery areas of fish species within the Mediterranean.
Of all the Mediterranean countries, Spain is the only one to have adopted a National Plan of Action to combat the problem of IUU fishing, as mandated in the International Plan of Action of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).
There is no regional register for fishing vessels and a lack of funding and infrastructure to implement the laws intended to combat illegal fishing on the high seas.
Since 2003 there have been numerous regulations put into place to ban the use of driftnets in the Mediterranean, making their use up to “four times illegal”. Despite this, drifnets are still widely used and some fleets are growing.
Morocco has admitted to operating over 300 drift netting vessels. Other fleets include the Italian fleet, numbering 90-100 vessels, the Turkish fleet comprising 45-100 vessels and the French fleet of between 45 and 75 vessels.
Large open water fish like tuna have been a shared fisheries resource for thousands of years. In 1999 Greenpeace published a report revealing that the amount of bluefin tuna in the Mediterranean had decreased by over 80 percent in the previous 20 years. The situation has not improved with pirate fishing, juvenile catches and the recent addition of tuna ranching dramatically depleting stocks to dangerous levels.
Size matters
Overfishing has led to the catching and keeping of ever-smaller fish, often in spite of size restrictions. The protection of juvenile fish in populations is critical to the sustainable management of these fisheries. Yet restrictions are being openly flouted as a recent Greenpeace investigation of fish markets in Greece exposed.The situation is not helped by unregulated fisheries - like that of the swordfish - often with immature fish as the bulk of their catch. Rather than targeting undersized fish that have not even had a chance to breed, we should be protecting spawning and nursery areas of fish species within the Mediterranean.
By-catch
The discard rate for Mediterranean fisheries is thought to vary between 20 to 70 percent of catches according to water depth and season. The by-catch of juvenile fish and non-target species is thrown back into the sea dead or dying.Illegal, Unregulated and Unreported fishing
The lack of effective management systems and increased commercial pressure on our dwindling fishery resources has helped fuel an illegal, unregulated and unreported (IUU) fishing industry. A good example is the extensive use of driftnets in the sea, which continues despite their prohibition in the Mediterranean.Of all the Mediterranean countries, Spain is the only one to have adopted a National Plan of Action to combat the problem of IUU fishing, as mandated in the International Plan of Action of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).
There is no regional register for fishing vessels and a lack of funding and infrastructure to implement the laws intended to combat illegal fishing on the high seas.
Driftnets
The impact of driftnets, often up to 17km in length, has long been under scrutiny due to the by-catch associated with it. Populations of larger sea creatures including endangered sea turtles, dolphins and sharks are of particular concern.Since 2003 there have been numerous regulations put into place to ban the use of driftnets in the Mediterranean, making their use up to “four times illegal”. Despite this, drifnets are still widely used and some fleets are growing.
Morocco has admitted to operating over 300 drift netting vessels. Other fleets include the Italian fleet, numbering 90-100 vessels, the Turkish fleet comprising 45-100 vessels and the French fleet of between 45 and 75 vessels.