Scientists Call for Setting Limits, Possible Moratorium on Fishing in Antarctica's Southern Ocean
Published:31 Oct.2022 Source:ScienceDaily
This week, an international group of 10 scientists is calling for protective limits on fishing in Antarctica's Southern Ocean, reporting in the journal Science that current levels of fishing, combined with climate change, are taking a concerning toll on a diverse ecosystem of global importance.
We cannot ignore the increasing evidence of the ecosystem impacts of fishing in its current form and the dire threat posed by climate change. Given the immense global value of the Southern Ocean, we must urgently implement tools toward more sophisticated spatial management and consider the full suite of values, and trade-offs, in continuing fishing in its current form.
Commercial fishing for Antarctic toothfish, sold to high-end restaurants as Chilean Sea Bass, and krill, used as fishmeal and fish oil supplements, threatens the food chain in the Southern Ocean from both the top and the bottom, respectively. Allowing fishing of these and other marine animals to continue in its present form jeopardizes this ecosystem and is increasingly unsustainable, with benefits realized by only a few wealthy nations and contributing little to global food security.
Amid the ongoing climate crisis and given the growing evidence that fishing in its current form is jeopardizing the Southern Ocean ecosystems, CCAMLR has the incredible responsibility to take conservation action now.