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Is there anything more delicious than a plate of super fresh sushi? You get the chance to taste that distinct saltiness that fresh fish brings to the table, and then you get the chance to experience it along with the sublimely soft texture of the fish’s flesh. It’s a transcendent culinary experience, and it’s one that people should enjoy at least once in their lives. Even if you aren’t the biggest sushi fan in the world, you still probably have your favorite fish dishes. The English have their fish & chips, the French have their bouillabaisse, and several other nations have their own takes on how to extract the best flavors out of the ocean’s bounty, but the troubling thing is that the folks of the future may no longer get the chance to enjoy fish as we do today. It’s gone under the radar for the most part but many of the world’s fisheries are beginning to experience troubles, and it’s not outside the realm of possibility that certain types of fish may no longer appear on restaurant menus. It’s a trend that needs to be addressed as soon as possible unless people are actually looking forward to a world where certain species of fish are nothing more than reminders of the past.

Before any type of solution can be put forth, we must first understand the root causes of the problem that is now facing the world’s wild fisheries.  As disappointing as it may be, it’s the usual suspects who are again causing trouble in the marine world. Overfishing, a long-existing problem in the fishing community, has remained prevalent across several aquatic regions. The indiscriminate fishing is not only sweeping up adult fishes of all kinds, it’s also catching younger fishes who are not yet supposed to end up in nets. Pollution has also persisted as a problem, and it’s destroying aquatic habitats left and right. Not only are the fishes getting caught by the thousands, but the ones who also manage to dodge the nets only have shattered homes to go back to. It’s a wonder the fish population has managed to remain serviceable all these years.

The problems have been identified, and it’s now time to take action. Everyone’s involved in the effort this time, and that’s a good thing, considering the fact that the ocean has never needed us more than it does now. Simply purchasing a different type of fish in the market can help in the conservation effort. This is because there are certain types of fish that are even more depleted than others. Cod and snapper are dangerously overfished, and the same can also be said for the ever-popular tuna. It’s worth people’s time to try different types of fish that can be used as substitutes for the endangered species. This way, the numbers of those types of fish can begin to replenish. Another way to ensure that fishes of all kinds continue to populate the ocean is to introduce laws that are going to make it more costly for companies to overfish. Catch limits need to be established by law, and they need to be enacted immediately so that no more species of fish approaches the brink of extinction.

The old adage is that we only have one world, and that we need to take care of it. There is no truer statement, and people can begin to heed the lessons of that saying by just being more conscious about their fish choices. The fate of wild fisheries relies on how fast society can act when it comes to creating laws and establishing awareness.

Tyronne Savell is an environmental enthusiast. He has joined several campaigns protecting thousand trees and marine life. He also believed in Jon Queen, who is a board member at Foundation for the development of environmental and energy markets. 

About the author
Andreas co-founded Xavier Media® in 1996 and has since been involved in all kinds of development, marketing and making money online.