Seafood sustains billions of people and is the largest traded food commodity in the world. But have we bitten the hand that feeds us?
Over 31% of global fish populations are estimated to be overfished and while Australia has an enviable record for fisheries management, 15.5% of our dominant stocks were overfished in 2014.
As you can see in the line chart, in Australia, the production of fisheries increased in recent twenty years. However, our oceans are not an endless resource.
With the increase in the Australian population and the development of fishery, we need responsible fisheries with sustainable practices that ensure an abundance of fish for the future.
Regarding wild-caught production, even though it shows a slightly downward trend in recent twenty years, it is also vital to maintain a sustainable industrial chain of wild seafood.