twinwinds
Active Member
SMALL SCALE FISHERIES >> LARGE SCALE FISHERIES: The University of British Columbia completed a study comparing small scale to large scale fisheries, determining that the small scale, coastal fisheries are “our best hope for sustainable fisheries.” The study was published in the science journal Conservation Biology.
Smaller fisheries, defined as fishermen operating boats 50 feet and smaller, were shown to produce as much annual catch for human consumption as the large industrial versions, yet used less than one eighth as much fuel. Other advantages to the smaller operations were the use of selective gear that minimizes bycatch and has less destructive impact on sea environments.
Unfortunately, the study points out, small scale fisheries are not given as much support as their industrial counterparts ? many governments subsidize the fuel for large scale fisheries in order to make them economically viable (worldwide, about $25-27 billion in subsidies goes towards large scale operations out of $30-34 billion in total subsides) and market-based “sustainable” seafood systems tend to discriminate against small operations. The papers co-authors believe that the solution to reducing pressure on vital fish stocks and allowing global fish stocks to rebound is to eliminate these government subsidies, allowing small scale fishermen to thrive in their local markets.
The study can be read in the August 2008 issue of Conservation Biology, but a non-subscriber version can be found at http://scienceblogs.com/shiftingbaselines/JacquetPaulyConBio.pdf. The graphic going with it, providing a very nice-and-neat visual comparing small and large fisheries, can be viewed at www.seaaroundus.org/News/Fig1ConBio.pdf. Both the study and the graphic require Adobe Acrobat Reader. A summary of the study, with links to the graphic, a video interview with the authors, and the study itself can be read at www.publicaffairs.ubc.ca/media/releases/2008/mr-08-109.html.
Smaller fisheries, defined as fishermen operating boats 50 feet and smaller, were shown to produce as much annual catch for human consumption as the large industrial versions, yet used less than one eighth as much fuel. Other advantages to the smaller operations were the use of selective gear that minimizes bycatch and has less destructive impact on sea environments.
Unfortunately, the study points out, small scale fisheries are not given as much support as their industrial counterparts ? many governments subsidize the fuel for large scale fisheries in order to make them economically viable (worldwide, about $25-27 billion in subsidies goes towards large scale operations out of $30-34 billion in total subsides) and market-based “sustainable” seafood systems tend to discriminate against small operations. The papers co-authors believe that the solution to reducing pressure on vital fish stocks and allowing global fish stocks to rebound is to eliminate these government subsidies, allowing small scale fishermen to thrive in their local markets.
The study can be read in the August 2008 issue of Conservation Biology, but a non-subscriber version can be found at http://scienceblogs.com/shiftingbaselines/JacquetPaulyConBio.pdf. The graphic going with it, providing a very nice-and-neat visual comparing small and large fisheries, can be viewed at www.seaaroundus.org/News/Fig1ConBio.pdf. Both the study and the graphic require Adobe Acrobat Reader. A summary of the study, with links to the graphic, a video interview with the authors, and the study itself can be read at www.publicaffairs.ubc.ca/media/releases/2008/mr-08-109.html.
