“From Hook to Plate”, an expert, up-to-date report on the state of marine fisheries from a Commonwealth perspective, is now available to download online.
The authors conclude that the situation, where 75 per cent of commercial fisheries are being exploited at or above the maximum sustainable yield, is serious but not yet irreversible. They argue that proper implementation of controls on illegal fishing, promotion of marine protected areas, and community involvement in the sustainable management of inshore fisheries could turn round the looming desertification of the seas. It is time to stop the destructive “race to fish.”
The report calls on Commonwealth leaders to:
• Establish a Ministerial task force to deal with illegal fishing and sustain stocks, especially within exclusive economic zones
• Convene a Commonwealth fisheries conference, perhaps in conjunction with the meeting of the Food and Agriculture Organisation's committee on fisheries in March 2011, to share best practice
• Create a voluntary fund to build capacity in the fisheries sector, particularly for small island developing states
To download the report for free, please click the link above.
