Cost of Overfishing
“Until All the Fish Are Gone” (editorial, Jan. 21), about the economic and ecological costs of overfishing, did not include nations like the United States, Australia, Iceland, Canada and New Zealand, which have implemented effective policies to end overfishing and rebuild stocks.
The United States is eliminating overfishing on stocks, resulting in enormous economic benefits to our nation. In 2006, 25 percent of American. stocks were overfished, which, although excessive, pales in comparison to more than 80 percent for fisheries controlled by the European Union.
New amendments to the federal Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act require that overfishing be eliminated by 2010 for all domestic stocks. But the United States still needs its international partners to do their part for bluefin tuna, sharks and other species that migrate.
Healthy fish stocks support thousands of jobs in several sectors of the economy from commercial and recreational fishing to import/export businesses. Consumers worldwide would benefit from consistent national policies to eliminate overfishing and rebuild all depleted populations.
Steven A. Murawski
Silver Spring, Md., Jan. 24, 2008
The writer is director of scientific programs and chief science adviser, . Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
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