Overfishing and irresponsible fishing practices are destroying fish harvests, damaging marine ecosystems, threatening food security, economic stability, and the livelihoods of tens of millions of people. In fact, commercial fishing by large factory trawlers is dramatically altering species composition in marine ecosystems, endangering marine biodiversity and whole populations of fish, marine mammals, seabirds and other important predators at the top of the marine food web. High-tech floating factories are devastating our seas. Short term profits and the spiraling demand for fish products are driving worldwide over-exploitation of fisheries. And gigantic floating factories work day and night in the last of the planet's great sancuaries, vacuuming up mountains of fish, leaving ecological devastation in their wakes.
Governments offer the world little in hope or vision.
Governments have failed to stem the tide of overfishing, over-investing in vessels and gear, and the uncontrolled expansion of fishing fleets from depleted fisheries in other regions. Control should be placed in the hands of a broader range of affected groups. Greenpeace urges all governments to eliminate overfishing, to rebuild depleted fish populations, to adopt a precautionary approach to fisheries management, and to develop more selective fishing practices to minimize bycatch and waste.