Global Fishing Controversies

Scientists warn that industrial-scale fishing is depleting the world's stocks of tuna, cod and other sea life, making it harder for small-scale fishermen in developing countries to eke out a living and raising alarms that overfishing threatens entire species. At the same time, the ocean-warming effects of climate change are driving some species, such as lobster, to cooler waters, upending long-established commercial fishing patterns. Studies have found that one-third of species are overfished — up from 10 percent in 1974 — often by trawlers outfitted with high-tech fish-finding tools such as sonar and drones and equipped with gear that can haul in thousands of fish at a time. Diminishing stocks have led to calls for a ban on fishing on the high seas and the establishment of protected zones off coastlines. But fishing industry representatives argue that the migratory habits of fish would make bans ineffective, and they warn that restrictions could put thousands of commercial fishers out of work.