Latest news with #overfishing
Irish Times
8 hours ago
- Politics
- Irish Times
Ban on inshore fishing of sprat to protect whales, birdlife and other sea mammals
The Government is introducing a de facto ban on industrial overfishing of sprat in Irish inshore waters in a move aimed at addressing changing migratory patterns of whales and dolphins as well as marine biodiversity loss. From October 1st vessels of more than 18m in length fishing for sprat within the six nautical mile zone will require authorisation and be subjected to a quota limit of 2,000 tonnes. This marks a significant change in management of Ireland's inshore fisheries, with the aim of protecting sensitive marine habitats and supporting the sustainability of key species, including sprat. Sprat are small fish indigenous to Ireland and a rich protein source for whales but also other cetaceans and seabirds. They dominate the inshore coastline in the Celtic Sea at shallow depths, making them especially vulnerable when trawlers fish for them at spawning stage from October on, with no limits on catch. READ MORE The move coincides with reports of fewer sightings of whales, dolphins and porpoises off the southwest coast, which is damaging ecotourism. [ 'It's an empty, lifeless sea': Whales leave Cork waters, putting watchers out of business Opens in new window ] Minister of State for Nature, Heritage and Biodiversity Christopher O'Sullivan welcomed the Government's new policy directive. 'This is a step forward for Ireland's marine environment and for the future of our marine wildlife. For too long, industrial overfishing of sprat has threatened the very foundation of our marine food web, putting whales, dolphins, and our much-loved seabirds like puffins and kittiwakes at risk,' Mr O'Sullivan said. [ Ireland to ratify high seas treaty and scale-up marine-protected areas, Taoiseach tells UN summit Opens in new window ] 'The measures agreed today, which amount to a de facto ban on industrial trawling of sprat in our inshore waters, are the result of an extensive public consultation process and careful consideration of the best available scientific advice.' Sprat, a small but vital forage fish, is the lifeblood of Ireland's marine ecosystem, Mr O'Sullivan said. 'The collapse of sprat stocks would have devastating consequences [for species], which are already in steep decline due to food shortages and habitat loss.' This decision also ensured inshore waters were protected for smaller fishing vessels and recreational fishers. In 2019 government efforts to introduce a ban were successfully challenged in the courts. In 2024 a public consultation invited views on introducing the ban again. It attracted more than 5,500 submissions.
South China Morning Post
29-06-2025
- General
- South China Morning Post
American fish farm breeds barramundi to combat overfishing and tariffs
Storks scatter, white against blue water, as Dan Mohring's pickup truck rumbles down the dirt road. He's towing a trailer full of ground-up beef, chicken, fish and nutrient bits behind him, ready to be shot out of a cannon into the ponds below. It's time to feed the fish. Mohring fires up the machine, and the food flies out in a rainbow arc. Then, the water comes alive. Hundreds of thrashing, gobbling barramundi wiggle their way to the surface, all fighting for a piece. In a few months, they will become food themselves. Mainstream Aquaculture, located in the desert of the landlocked state of Arizona in the US, has a fish farm where it is growing the tropical species barramundi. Some scientists believe that aquaculture can help protect the ocean, fight overfishing and play a small role in smoothing any supply problems that result from tariffs by US President Donald Trump.
The Independent
26-06-2025
- Science
- The Independent
What over-fishing has done to the size of cod in just 30 years
Excessive fishing has caused Baltic cod to undergo genetic changes, halving their size over the past 30 years. A study published in Science Advances is the first to demonstrate that decades of overfishing and environmental changes can profoundly alter the genetic makeup of a fully marine species. Researchers found a 48 per cent decrease in the asymptotic body length of Eastern Baltic cod between 1996 and 2019, with genetic variations indicating evolution driven by human interference. The study revealed that the genomes of fast-growing cod systematically differed from slow growers, with fast-growing individuals nearly disappearing from the Baltic Sea. This phenomenon is described as evolution in action driven by human activity, where the consistent removal of larger fish gives smaller, faster-maturing fish an evolutionary advantage.
Telegraph
26-06-2025
- Science
- Telegraph
The fish that is getting smaller to slip through nets
The average size of eastern Baltic cod is shrinking as a result of overfishing, scientists have claimed. The fish are thought to have evolved to slip through nets, according to a study which directly links human influence to changes in their DNA. The research, published in the Science Advances journal, also blamed decades of overfishing for the dwindling numbers of the species. 'When the largest individuals are consistently removed from the population over many years, smaller, faster-maturing fish gain an evolutionary advantage,' said Prof Thorsten Reusch, senior author of the study and head of the marine ecology research division at Geomar Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel. 'What we are observing is evolution in action, driven by human activity. This is scientifically fascinating, but ecologically deeply concerning.' Researchers examined tiny ear bones, called otoliths, of 152 cod caught in the Baltic Sea's Bornholm Basin between 1996 and 2019. The otoliths record annual growth, similar to tree rings, and showed the genomes of fast-growing cod had nearly disappeared, while slower-growing, smaller fish had a higher survival rate. Overall, the average body length of the fish had roughly halved from 40cm to around 20cm since the 1990s. Dr Kwi Young Han, a biologist and first author of the study, said: 'For the first time in a fully marine species, we have provided evidence of evolutionary changes in the genomes of a fish population subjected to intense exploitation, which has pushed the population to the brink of collapse.' The EU banned the fishing of eastern Baltic cod in 2019 following years of period of overfishing. However, scientists warned its population may never fully recover. Prof Reusch said: 'Evolutionary change unfolds over many generations. Recovery takes far longer than decline, and it may not even be possible… despite the fishing ban, there's no sign of a rebound in body size.' Dr Han added: 'Our results demonstrate the profound impact of human activities on wild populations, even at the level of their DNA. 'They also highlight that sustainable fisheries are not only an economic issue, but also a matter of conserving biodiversity, including genetic resources.'
The Independent
26-06-2025
- Science
- The Independent
Humans have forced cod to shrink in size by half since 1990s, scientists find
Excessive fishing has forced Baltic cod to undergo genetic changes that have halved their size over the past 30 years, a new study has found. The research, published in the journal Science Advances, is the first to show that decades of overfishing and environmental change can profoundly alter the genetic make-up of a fully marine species. Baltic cod once measured more than a meter long and weighed up to 40kg, forming the backbone of the region's fishery. In the last three decades, however, the species has shrunk so much that even a full-grown cod can fit neatly on a dinner plate. 'For the first time in a fully marine species, we have provided evidence of evolutionary changes in the genomes of a fish population subjected to intense exploitation, which has pushed the population to the brink of collapse,' lead author Kwi Young Han said. Researchers examined an archive of ear stones from 152 overexploited Eastern Baltic cod, Gadus morhua, caught in the Bornholm Basin between 1996 and 2019. The ear stones record annual growth in some fish species, similar to tree rings, making them valuable timekeepers. They specifically looked into the growth trends of the cod over 25 years of heavy fishing and compared the changes with genetic alterations found in the species at the full genome level. The study revealed a '48 per cent decrease in asymptotic body length' of the cod from 1996 to 2019, with indications that the species had evolved due to human interference. Genetic variations in the cod associated with body growth showed signs of 'directional selection', researchers pointed out. Some structural changes in the genome seemed to indicate environmental adaptation, hinting the "shrinking" had a genetic basis tied to human activity. "Selective overexploitation has altered the genome of Eastern Baltic cod," Dr Han explained. "We see this in the significant decline in average size, which we could link to reduced growth rates.' The study found the genomes of fast-growing cod differed systematically from slow growers, with the fast growers nearly disappearing from the Baltic. "When the largest individuals are consistently removed from the population over many years, smaller, faster-maturing fish gain an evolutionary advantage," Thorsten Reusch, another author of the study, said. "What we're observing is evolution in action, driven by human activity. This is scientifically fascinating, but ecologically deeply concerning.' The new research calls for conservation policies to look into the adaptive potential of marine species.
