Why is sustainable fishing important?

Fishing is sustainable if it leaves enough fish in the oceans and minimises impacts on habitats and ecosystems. For this to happen, fisheries must be managed effectively.

Communities worldwide rely on fishing for their livelihoods and as a vital source of food and nutrition. More than a third of the global population relies on seafood as a source of protein and 38 million people are employed in wild capture fisheries.

If we fish sustainably, we can secure food for the future and help eradicate poverty and hunger.

However, unsustainable fishing practices, such as overfishing, unregulated fishing activities and excessive bycatch, are putting our oceans at risk.

More than a third of global fisheries have been fished beyond sustainable limits and world demand for seafood continues to grow. Sustainable fishing can reverse this decline and ensure that there are enough fish left in the sea so that fishing can take place indefinitely into the future. The long-term health of fish stocks is also vital to secure a source of nutrient-rich food to feed a growing population. 16 million more tonnes of seafood could be produced every year if fisheries are managed sustainably, providing enough protein to meet the needs of 72 million people worldwide.

Certified sustainable wild-capture fishing can also reduce the pressure on land-based agriculture as a source of protein. Seafood also has, on average, a lower carbon footprint than land-based animal proteins.

Ref : https://www.msc.org/what-we-are-doing/our-approach/what-is-sustainable-fishing