Fishing and the Future

How well we manage the world's marine resources impacts the quality of life for much of the human race. Seafood provides most of the animal protein available to more than half the world's people; for many in poor coastal countries, it is the only source.

The world seafood catch increased from about 30 million tons in 1960 to about 85 million tons in 1992. The total demand for seafood is expected to reach 140 million tons by 2010 both because of the increase in the earth's human population and increased consumption of seafood by societies that traditionally ate more meat [1].

This demand for seafood may not be sustainable. Fish populations have already deteriorated in many areas. To intelligently manage the world's supply of seafood, scientists need to understand what factors affect the reproduction of fish, and in particular, how fishing affects the long term supply.