Professor Ray Hilborn and Dr Bob Kearney have released a paper titled, ‘Australian seafood consumers misled by prophets of doom and gloom’.
Their paper concludes that the Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity (EPBC) Act’s list of threatened species does not include any marine fish species, and that although overfishing is a serious problem around the world, 85% of Australian species are not in an overfished state.
"This rapid recovery of the status of Australia’s exploited fish stocks highlights the fundamental effectiveness of traditional fisheries management compared to attempts to recover terrestrial systems that have been impacted by urban development, mining or agriculture," the report states.
With regard to certification schemes and what seafood Australians should buy the paper states that, “the process of certification and periodic review of each individual fishery and/or species is not necessary in a country like Australia that has collectively well managed, sustainable fisheries.”
It says that most of the guides to which fish Australians should and should not eat list many species for which assessments are given that are highly questionable, at best. It continues to say that there are 16 or more different organisations in Australia that produce guides of various forms that are intended to influence public opinion, but, “There are no standards or government regulation of the efficacy of these guides.”
The question then is why does Australia understate the sustainability of its fisheries? In a press conference at Sydney Fish Market Professor Hilborn said, “Australia is subject to a relentless anti-fishing campaign that is causing doom and gloom myths from misrepresentations of overseas examples of inadequate fisheries management. I believe NGOs need the public to believe fisheries are in poor shape to boost their fundraising”.
Tom Bibby, Chairman of the South East Trawl Fishing Industry Association (SETFIA), explains, “Today’s report is conformation of what we have known for many years. The truth is finally coming out and the tide is turning. Buying sustainable fish is as simple as buying Australian fish. The Australian Government must take note and act now to ensure consumers understand how sustainable Australian fish is.”
