Is a Perfect Storm Brewing in the Pacific Ocean?

A perfect storm of ecological dangers could be brewing over the Pacific Ocean, one that if left unaddressed will bring disastrous results to the worlds environment and the economies of many nations.



Global warming, man made environmental pollution, and over fishing are a few of the elements of this storm which is approaching faster than many are willing to accept.

But now the scientific community has come together to speak with a single voice to a gathering of government officials at the World Ocean Conference in Manado, Indonesia. If they can find a receptive ear, and the public exerts enough pressure, we may be able to avert one of the greatest tragedies to ever face mankind.

Read about the report and keep up with the progress at Monterey Bay Aquarium Sea Notes.

These are serious issues that have been ignored by the worlds governments and it's people for far too long. The storm warnings are out, it's up to us to take action.

NBC Reports on Threat of Over Fishing

Watch this video from NBC news on the threat of over fishing and some of the progress being made to combat it.

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Mediterranean Bluefin Tuna Nearly Depleted

According to the WWF (World Wildlife Fund), one of the worlds largest and most respected independent conservation organizations, the breeding stock of Mediterranean blue fin tuna is on course to disappear by 2012 if current fishing practices remain unchanged.

This is not environmentalist scare tactics, which I feel we sometimes see too much of and wind up ignoring factual reports, this is based on hard scientific evidence based on tracking population and catch rates in the region over a period of years.

The main concern here is the breed stock of the blue fin, fish that are four years old and over 35kg. In 2007 the population of breeding tuna was one fourth of the levels 50 years ago. The decline has accelerated greatly in the last 10 years.

Before the advent of large scale industrial fishing, blue fin in the area were weighing in as high as 900kg. Now the average catch off the coast of Libya is a mere 65kg.This has had a huge impact on the population of the species, as these giant tunas were prolific breeders, and in their absence the population suffers greatly.

WWF is calling for an immediate closure of the blue fin fishery in the Mediterranean to give the species a chance to recover, but the prospects of that happening are not good. The season has started business as usual.

Most of us have never eaten blue fin, or even seen it in a market for that matter. It is an elitist luxury gourmet item that is easily substituted by the much more abundant Ahi tunas (yellow fin and big eye).

It's a shame that such a wonderful fish will soon be gone just so some unaware socialite can have their exclusive sashimi. Wonder what they'll eat out of existence next?

Mercury in Seafood

One of the biggest concerns I am confronted with by seafood consumers is the mercury content of seafood. There seems to be mass confusion and distortion of facts surrounding this issue.

This all goes back to a report issued jointly by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency which was issued in March of 2004 and can be found here:

www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/admehg3.html

This was an article of Advice issued for women who might become pregnant, women who are pregnant, nursing mothers, and young children. In other words, if you don't fit any of these categories, you really have nothing to worry about.

Here is the gist of the report taken directly from the above link.

Quote:

"By following these 3 recommendations for selecting and eating fish or shellfish, women and young children will receive the benefits of eating fish and shellfish and be confident that they have reduced their exposure to the harmful effects of mercury.

1.

Do not eat Shark, Swordfish, King Mackerel, or Tilefish because they contain high levels of mercury.

2.

Eat up to 12 ounces (2 average meals) a week of a variety of fish and shellfish that are lower in mercury.
*

Five of the most commonly eaten fish that are low in mercury are shrimp, canned light tuna, salmon, pollock, and catfish.
*

Another commonly eaten fish, albacore ("white") tuna has more mercury than canned light tuna. So, when choosing your two meals of fish and shellfish, you may eat up to 6 ounces (one average meal) of albacore tuna per week.

3.

Check local advisories about the safety of fish caught by family and friends in your local lakes, rivers, and coastal areas. If no advice is available, eat up to 6 ounces (one average meal) per week of fish you catch from local waters, but don't consume any other fish during that week.

Follow these same recommendations when feeding fish and shellfish to your young child, but serve smaller portions. "

End of direct quote.


Strangely, I am often asked about which salmon is high in mercury, when the report clearly states it is a low mercury (read recommended) fish. I guess just the fact it was mentioned in the report salmon, shrimp, and catfish are guilty by association.

If you fall under one of the categories listed in this report, basically a woman of child bearing years or nursing mother, a young child, or if you have a medical condition in which you doctor has advised avoidance of methylmercury (the type of mercury found in seafood), then by all means be selective in the type of seafood you consume.

If you are one of us in the teaming masses who don't fit into these categories, eat two or three servings of your favorite seafood a week without fearing for your life. In fact it will add years and quality to your life.

Just make sure you have a variety, not to just break up the monotony, but different items of seafood have different nutrients and will give you a better balanced diet.