Fish is not an inexhaustible resource. Today, we know that more than three quarters of fish stocks are overfished or fished to the limit of exhaustion and that our markets are flooded with fish caught using unsustainable methods.
We can counteract the effects of unsustainable fishing and reverse the course: the future of our seas and fish resources also depends on our consumption choices. Let's learn to make responsible and informed consumption choices.
We need to choose the quality and freshness of local, seasonal products that are not declining and that are outside of the reproduction cycles. Let's control the production method and choose produce caught or farmed using sustainable methods.
For centuries, the seas have been considered an inexhaustible source of food: today, however, we know that more than three quarters of fish stocks are overfished or are fished to the limit of exhaustion.
The increase in global population and technological progress have transformed the fishing sector into an industrial machine capable of modifying the natural balance of the marine ecosystems and of endangering the survival of many species.
There are fishermen who show, every day, that it is possible to maintain a good balance between marine resources and fishing activities. They are the operators of small-scale artisanal fishing. The effort made by this fishing community, the largest in the sector, represents a way to win the sustainability challenge and counteract industrial fishing
Every year, aquaculture covers half of the world's requirements for fish and is one of the fastest growing food sectors. Without aquaculture, there would not be enough fish to nourish the world. Aquaculture helps to alleviate the pressure of fishing on wild fish stocks in nature.
Sustainable fishing and quality aquaculture can ensure the survival of our seas. However, a lot also depends on our consumption and purchasing choices. Choosing sustainable fish means guaranteeing that future generations will have the same integrity of the seas and resources that we have enjoyed up until now.