Gone Fishing

Industrial overfishing and other man-made factors have pushed one-third of the world’s fish stocks to be threatened with extinction, and many other species are not far behind. The problem represents a serious risk to ocean biodiversity, and to large human populations that rely on fish for day-to-day survival. What can be done?

Play Button Pause Button
0:00 0:00
x
Host
  • Gabrielle Sierra
    Director, Podcasting
Credits

Asher Ross - Supervising Producer

Markus Zakaria - Audio Producer and Sound Designer

Rafaela Siewert - Associate Podcast Producer

Episode Guests
  • Manuel Barange
    Director, Fisheries and Aquaculture Policy and Resources Division, Food and Agriculture Organization
  • Michele Kuruc
    Vice President, Ocean Policy, World Wildlife Fund
  • Stewart M. Patrick
    James H. Binger Senior Fellow in Global Governance and Director of the International Institutions and Global Governance Program

Show Notes

One third of the world’s fish stocks are currently overfished. Industrial fishing wreaks havoc on fragile marine ecosystems, and leads to egregious waste of marine life. The crisis is compounded by a lack of centralized oversight of the high seas and widespread illegal fishing operations.

 

Yet, as the world’s population booms, demand for fish as a source of protein and micronutrients is only expected to grow, particularly in some of the world’s poorest countries. In this episode, three experts assess the problem, and offer strategies for how the world can work together to preserve one of the earth’s most important shared resources.

 

From Manuel Barange

 

Feeding 9 billion by 2050—Putting fish back on the menu,” Food Security
 

Keynote Address, ICES Annual Science Conference 2019
 

Arctic Frontiers Conference 2020

 

Talking Oceans and Climate Change,” Food and Agriculture Organization

 

From Michele Kuruc

 

Michele Kuruc Before the U.S. Senate Finance Committee [PDF]

 

Life and Law,” World Wildlife Magazine

 

An Analysis of the Impact of IUU Imports on U.S. Fishermen [PDF],” World Wildlife Fund

 

The Threat of Illegal Fishing Is Too Great to Ignore,” Yahoo! News

 

From Stewart M. Patrick

 

Why the U.N. Pact on High Seas Biodiversity Is Too Important to Fail,” World Politics Review

 

Read More

 

North Pacific pollock fleet preps for season after tough 2020,” Alaska Journal of Commerce

 

Seafood from slaves,” Associated Press

 

Freshwater fish are in ‘catastrophic’ decline with one-third facing extinction, report finds,” CBS

 

EU must end overfishing to protect our oceans, say scientists,” Euronews

 

The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture 2020,” Food and Agriculture Organization

 

Revealed: seafood fraud happening on a vast global scale,” Guardian

 

Hidden Chains,” Human Rights Watch

 

Dramatic shark decline leaves ‘gaping hole’ in ocean, new study reports,” Japan Times

 

Japan’s chefs build on the growing market for sustainable seafood,” Japan Times

 

Another Side of Tilapia, the Perfect Factory Fish,” New York Times

 

‘The Fish Rots From the Head’: How a Salmon Crisis Stoked Russian Protests,” New York Times

 

The Battle Over Fish Farming In The Open Ocean Heats Up, As EPA Permit Looms,” NPR

 

Governments Should Act to End Harmful Fishing Subsidies,” Pew Charitable Trusts

 

Pressure Mounts on Governments Worldwide to Stop Subsidizing Overfishing,” Pew Charitable Trusts

 

5 Years Later: What’s Changed Since Mashiko Sushi Went Sustainable,” Seattle Magazine

 

Lawless Ocean: The Link Between Human Rights Abuses and Overfishing,” Yale Environment 360

 

Watch or Listen

 

The Fish on My Plate,” FRONTLINE

 

The four fish we’re overeating—and what to eat instead,” TED

 

Will the ocean ever run out of fish?” TED-Ed

Center for Preventive Action

Every January, CFR’s annual Preventive Priorities Survey analyzes the conflicts most likely to occur in the year ahead and measures their potential impact. For the first time, the survey anticipates that this year, 2024, the United States will contend not only with a slew of global threats, but also a high risk of upheaval within its own borders. Is the country prepared for the eruption of election-related instability at home while wars continue to rage abroad?

Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Billions of people will take to the polls next year, marking the world’s largest-ever electoral field. But this historic scale is not the only thing that will make 2024 unique. As new threats like deep fakes become cheaper and more widespread, these upcoming elections could serve as a test run for democracy in the artificial intelligence (AI) era. What risks does AI pose to elections next year? And will a surge in AI-powered disinformation change the nature of democratic elections?

Israeli-Palestinian Conflict

Scenes from the Israel-Hamas war have reverberated across the world. In the United States, debate about the conflict has intensified, and it has resurfaced long-standing questions about policy toward Israel and the Palestinian territories. What is the U.S. goal for the region? And how is the United States responding to the war?

Top Stories on CFR

Immigration and Migration

Dara Lind, a senior fellow at the American Immigration Council, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss the record surge in migrants and asylum seekers crossing the U.S. southern border.

Center for Preventive Action

Every January, CFR’s annual Preventive Priorities Survey analyzes the conflicts most likely to occur in the year ahead and measures their potential impact. For the first time, the survey anticipates that this year, 2024, the United States will contend not only with a slew of global threats, but also a high risk of upheaval within its own borders. Is the country prepared for the eruption of election-related instability at home while wars continue to rage abroad?

Central America