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Industrial fishing: Our position statement

Industrial fishing: Our position statement

The Two Oceans Aquarium and Foundation are uniquely positioned to achieve impact through the significant number of people we reach, and this impact is further amplified by our location in the V&A Waterfront.

Our position statement on industrial fishing will guide our actions in response to the four major threats to the ocean and will support our efforts to galvanise individual, interpersonal, community, organisational action or support for multistakeholder processes and policy change.

Why we are taking action

Problem statement

Industrial fishing negatively impacts marine environments, especially when species are individually managed. An ecosystem approach to management is necessary as well as consideration of the impacts of fishing practices that damage the environment, and the impact on non-target species. Healthy marine ecosystems are essential for life on Earth.

We are concerned with the injury and deaths of by-catch species, including marine mammals, seabirds, turtles and sharks, because of collisions with fishing boats, gear, and getting captured in nets and on hooks. We are concerned with the current transparency and reliability of fisheries data reporting of target and non-target animals and the low level of on-board observer coverage.

Fish are sentient beings and are capable of feeling pain, suffering and experiencing positive welfare states. They should be awarded the same level of consideration and protection given to other vertebrate animals.

Two Oceans Aquarium and Foundation position statement

Unsustainable fishing practices are depleting our marine resources and permanently harming the livelihoods and heritage of people and communities dependent on them. Healthy ocean biodiversity is crucial for healthy people and planet, and only by empowering consumers and engaging decision makers can we effect meaningful change and enforcement of a truly sustainable industry.

The Two Oceans Aquarium and Foundation

  • Support an ecosystem-based approach to fisheries management that identifies the effects of industrial fishing on ecosystems.
  • Advocate for industrial fisheries practices that minimise the harm to, and the welfare of, target and non-target species.
  • Advocate for the use of electronic monitoring systems(e.g., cameras) on 100% of commercial fishing vessels to document fishing events and record catch data of both target and non-target species.
  • Oppose destructive bulk fishing methods, such as bottom trawling, which result in the indiscriminate capture of non-target species (e.g., marine mammals, turtles, birds, and non-target fish species) and destruction of marine habitats.
  • Advocate for all fisheries to participate in certification schemes that have strict environmental parameters.
  • Advocate for the end to subsidies of industrial fishing practices
  • Support local fishing communities in sustainable practices and alternative livelihoods.

The impact of the use of bulk fishing methods on marine mammals, turtles, sea birds, fish, and invertebrate bycatch, benthic environments, and habitats will differ with choice of fishing gear and fishing behaviour. Change in fishing behaviour (e.g., changes in areas fished or gear configurations) and improvements in fishing gear (e.g., increased mesh sizes, escape grids and panels) can help increase selectivity of target species and decrease bycatch of non-target species.

  • Advocate for all people who fish to act responsibly in relation to their impact on the environment and animals, including ensuring proper maintenance and decontamination of fishing vessels and disposing of fishing gear.
  • Support efforts to encourage returning or recycling fishing gear rather than littering, such as improving traceability of fishing gear and refundable deposit schemes.
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What we are doing

  • We work closely with SASSI, MSC and ABALOBI.
  • We work to reduce our reliance on non-selective industrial caught fish wherever feasible.
  • We are committed to sourcing ethically harvested food for our animals.
  • We address food sustainability in our care for our animals.
  • We support diversifying the range of seafood that can be sustainably harvested.
  • We work with the V&A Waterfront to support their work with eateries in serving sustainably and locally sourced seafood from socially and environmentally ethical small-scale suppliers. This will include supporting the conceptualisation and evaluation of their consumer behaviour change campaigns.
  • We are building a community of Ocean Champions who will advocate and innovate around sustainable seafood consumption. We will reward, monitor, and evaluate their success.
  • We are educating learners who attend our Ocean Campus programmes.
  • We educate our visitors about seafood and the impact of their choices.
  • We measure, evaluate and research the efficacy of our approaches.

References

  • Cressey, D. 2015. Eyes on the ocean. Nature 519: 280-282
  • Myers, R. A. & Worm, B. 2003. Rapid worldwide depletion of predatory fish communities. Nature 423: 280-283
  • Myers, R. A. & Worm, B. 2005. Extinction, survival or recovery of large predatory fishes Phil. Trans. R. Soc. B36013–20
  • Pauly, D., V. Christensen, J. Dalsgaard, R. Froese and F.C. Torres Jr. 1998. Fishing down marine food webs. Science 279: 860-863.
  • Pauly, D.,1995. Anecdotes and the shifting baseline syndrome of fisheries. Elsevier Science 10:10: 430
  • Pauly, D., Christensen, V., Guénette, S., Pitcher, T.J., Sumaila, U. R., Walters, C.J., Watson, R. & Zeller.D. 2002. Towards sustainability in world fisheries. NATURE 418: 689-695
  • Worm, B. Barbier, E.B., Beaumont, N., Duffy, J. E., Folke, C., Halpern, B.S., Jackson, J.B.C., Lotze, H.K., Micheli, F., Palumbi, S.R., Sala, E., Selkoe, K.A., Stachowicz, J.J., & Watson,R. 2006. Impacts of Biodiversity Loss on Ocean Ecosystem Services. Science 314 (5800): 787-790