Overfishing of Pollock Risks Collapse of World’s Largest Food Fishery, Endangers Sea Lions, Fur Seal

Pollock is the fish found in frozen fish sticks, McDonald’s
Filet-O-Fish, and the imitation crabmeat found in California
rolls.

According to the North Pacific Fisheries Management Council’s
own scientists, the pollock population has declined 50 percent in
one year putting its long-term survival at serious risk. The
decline of pollock puts endangered Steller sea lions, fur seals,
Alaska native communities, and the long-term economic viability of
Alaska’s fishery in jeopardy.

The collapse of the New England and Canadian cod fishery (a
close relative to the pollock), the previous title-holder for
world’s largest food fishery, put 40,000 fishermen out of work and
wreaked havoc on the Atlantic ecosystem.

To view the commercial, go to: http://www.greenpeace.org. For
broadcast quality footage or high-quality photos, email
[email protected] or
[email protected]

The ad features images of an out-of-work fishermen roaming the
streets of Los Angeles begging with cardboard signs saying
Unemployed: They

Overfished the Pollock, as well as images of fishermen at work
in the pollock fishery.

“Both fur seals and endangered Steller sea lions have declined
dramatically as we have removed so much of the food fish they
depend on,” said George Pletnikoff, Greenpeace oceans campaigner in
Alaska. The health of the environment and our communities are
dependent upon  one another. Who will pay the fisherman to fish
when all the pollock are gone?”

The ad buy comes just days before the North Pacific Fisheries
Management Council meets in Anchorage to decide catch limits for
the 2009 pollock  season. Despite the decline, the Council is
considering a catch limit significantly higher than what is
necessary to restore the pollock  population and preserve the
ecosystem.

”Fishing industry representatives at the North Pacific
Fisheries Management Council exert too much influence over the
decision making and this is a big part of the problem,”said Phil
Kline, Greenpeace senior oceans campaigner and former commercial
fisherman of 29 years. ” Self-regulation was a disaster for
financial markets, and it’s not working for our oceans and
fisheries either.”

For more information about pollock, and its affect on fishermen
and the Alaska ecosystem, read Greenpeace’s comprehensive report on
pollock at: www.greenpeace.org/usa/rethinking

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