Millions and millions of people depend on fishing, both as a source of food and as a source of income. At the same time, fishing is also one of the biggest threats to marine life due to overfishing, bycatch, littering and the destruction of marine habitats.
The sea is not feeling well
Many fish stocks are in bad shape and there is a lot of overfishing. Globally, today roughly 90 percent of all commercial fish stocks are either maximally exploited or overfished. Today, only about one percent of the world's oceans are protected areas. Every year, many millions of tons of plastic are dumped in the oceans. Add to this climate change, acidification, eutrophication as well as habitat destruction and loss of species – it is clear that our oceans are in crisis.
The well-being of the oceans is absolutely crucial for our health, food supply and for millions of jobs in the world. Today, 850 million people depend on healthy oceans for their jobs and food supply, and three billion people get their daily protein from fish and shellfish. If the marine ecosystems collapse, it will have serious consequences for biological diversity, the functioning of the ocean ecosystems and our life on earth in general.
We want a much larger part of the oceans to be protected from fishing, and that the fishing that is conducted should be sustainable with great consideration for the ecosystems. To get there, we do this, among other things:
Pushing for at least 30% of oceans to be protected by the year 2030 – nationally, regionally and internationally (including deep seas that are outside national jurisdiction). It is important that the areas also become protected and receive regulations in practice, not just on paper!
Working for a binding global plastic agreement to reduce plastic waste in the ocean - feel free to sign our petition!
For a constant dialogue with the global certification organizations for fisheries and aquaculture, MSC and ASC, for the further development of their standards.
Working to ensure that fishing nets and gear that disappear in the seas are continuously picked up and taken care of on land . WWF are members of the Global ghost gear initiative which aims to reduce plastic waste from fishing with a variety of projects worldwide. We have also been active in the Marelitt project in the Baltic Sea, which aims, among other things, to reduce the number of lost trawl nets and fishing nets in the Baltic Sea.
Publishes the Fish Guide , where we offer consumers guidance towards more responsible and sustainable seafood choices.
Collaborates with researchers and contributes to scientific reports, such as this one about plastic and this one about bottom trawling.
Pushes for political decisions regarding the common fisheries policy in the EU that reduces overfishing, increases control and promotes an ecosystem-based management of our seas.
Actively engaged in RFMOs (Regional Fisheries Management Organisations) to influence the size of fishing quotas and call for more sustainable fishing practices.
WWF is involved in several global processes at the UN level within Agenda 2030 and to reach the sustainability goals, including SDG 14 , which deals with life below the surface.
Active in dialogues and negotiations concerning our seas, and work to influence politicians and other power holders in Sweden, the EU and within the UN. Here you can read more about what we are pushing for in these contexts.
Is there sustainable fishing?
Many are currently talking about the Netflix documentary Seaspiracy , which , among other things, addresses overfishing and bycatch ih a ven . The film's message that there is no sustainable fishing has had a big impact. We at WWF do not agree, but believe that it is a challenge to achieve sustainable fishing, but that it is absolutely possible. There is the fish that is managed more sustainably. But what exactly is sustainable fishing?
WWF believes that sustainable fishing must be conducted in a way that takes into account how the fish stock is doing before deciding how much to fish. But you also have to take into account the food needs of other marine species and the ecosystem in which they live . It is also important to avoid bycatch of unwanted species. This is called ecosystem-based management and is the way in which the oceans and fisheries must be managed.
Unfortunately, commercial fish species have been managed for too long without thinking about their function in the ecosystem , something that has had serious consequences. This must change if we are to be able to fish in the future and have a balanced sea.
Can we trust certifications and labels?
A long-term sustainable fishery is thus a fishery that ensures prosperous and viable stocks and involves minimal ecosystem impact - but how is that ensured then?
The widespread way is through various types of certifications and labeling of products to guarantee that they are sustainably produced. In order for a product to receive a certain certification, it must meet certain sustainability requirements, and through this the system is a tool to drive sustainability work forward as it places demands on producers while making it easier for consumers to make customized choices. WWF recommends certifications that have independent third-party reviews; such as MSC, ASC and KRAV. These have clear traceability, so you as a consumer can see where and how the fish was caught, and are a safer sustainability choice for the consumer than completely unlabeled products .
Some certification companies, such as MSC, have, among other things, received criticism because their labeling was found on certain products that do not meet the sustainability requirements. There may very well be deficiencies in, for example, the checks of the certification carried out by the independent companies, andunfortunately there is no 100% guarantee that MSC-labelled products are sustainable. It is good to know, however, that MSC is not a commercial company, and they receive no income from fishing per se. The review, assessment and certification of the caught fish against the MSC's fishing standard is, as mentioned, done by other, independent companies. If a fishery is not deemed to meet set criteria, it will not be certified. If a certified fishery is not deemed to be maintained, or violates set criteria, they will lose their certificate.
Although the system is not perfect, it is still very useful when you look at how much of the fishing is done in practice: about 30% of the total global catch is illegal, unreported and completely unregulated. Of course, it would be best if all fishing were legal and carried out with consideration for the ecosystems, as well as with clear traceability and transparency, but when the reality is different, the certifications contribute to at least distinguishing those who voluntarily want to do better. It is the best way we have to change the market in a more positive direction. Without them, the situation would be even worse, and to make the labels even more effective, WWF has a constant dialogue with MSC and ASC (a similar label fixed for farmed fish) to tighten the criteria.
WWF therefore recommends the labels MSC, ASC and Krav in terms of seafood production , read more about these here.
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