The Rittenhouse Review

A Philadelphia Journal of Politics, Finance, Ethics, and Culture


Friday, May 16, 2003  

I THINK WE'RE EATING TOO MUCH FISH
Ninety Percent of Large Ocean Species Has Disappeared

I'm usually pretty skeptical about the alarums issued by environmentalists and the like, but today's piece in the Washington Post, "Key Ocean Fish Species Ravaged, Study Finds," is both convincing and disturbing.

It should come as no surprise that the Bush administration is unconcerned:

Some experts warned against reading too much into the latest figures, saying it is unreasonable to expect pristine population levels when an increasing share of the world's growing population is turning to fish.

"The expected outcome of fishing is that stocks will decline," said Michael Sissenwine, director of scientific programs with the National Marine Fisheries Service, which this week released a relatively upbeat annual assessment of U.S. fish populations. "Even with very efficient sustainability plans in place you have to expect declines, sometimes of 50 percent or more. The issue is how much of a decline is reasonable and sustainable."

So, Mr. Sissenwine, what, in your mind, constitutes a "reasonable and sustainable" decline?

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