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Thursday, August 30, 2001 Rough going in historically rich seas, inland watersTASTE OF THE WEST The sea has been a provider of food for humans and most other living creatures for as long as life has existed. The great shelf mounds along our seacoast and inland waters attest to the importance of shellfish to the original American population. Europeans took cod from the North Atlantic Outer Banks before Columbus made his fateful voyage. To island countries with little arable land, Japan is the prime example; the sea has been a major source of protein there. On the hundreds of atolls in the Pacific, sea life, coconuts and taro were virtually the only human food. Biblical tales of fish and fishermen show the importance of fish to dwellers in an inland semi-desert. Throughout much of Africa, dried fish are a popular item in local markets. Populations in the Arctic and Sub-Arctic, where plant life is scarce and short-lived rely heavily on food from the sea. The abundant fat of sea mammals provides fuel for their bodies to survive the cold. In many small island cultures, local leaders set limits on the times and places for fishing or shellfish gathering. They knew that interference with the breeding cycle, or depletion of ecologic resources would threaten their food supply. As human populations grew so did the demand for seafood. Great nets, long lines and factory ships replaced the cast net, single line and local fish trap. The near shore bottom was swept by draggers. On the high seas, thousands of small ships pursued tuna in every ocean, incidentally killing other species that were then discarded. Shrimpers hauled nets containing a wide variety of so-called trash fish. They were tossed overboard, often turning a nearby beach into a stinking mess. As far back as 1952, the once rich Glouster fisheries were bemoaning the loss of high grade species and diminishing catches of lower grade fish. In hundreds of places today, pelicans, otters and seals are being killed by irate fishermen as catches dwindle. All over the world, fishing boats hang shark fins from rigging to dry while the carcass is dumped overboard. Off Southem California, large forests of kelp have been destroyed by starfish because their sea otter predators were killed off. Now, many species of fish that depended on the kelp for shelter and protection of the young are rarely seen. We need only to look at the prices in our fish markets to see the effect of exploitation and abuse of our sea resources. More than half the current supply of shrimp, catfish, and salmon is farm grown. Ths fish farming too may have adverse effects unless carefully controlled. Even when the farms are net enclosures in the sea, waste products are concentrated in small pools of pollution, algae bloom and oxygen depletion. Sport fishermen, those who hope to catch something that is legal size and good to eat, must go to ever more remote areas to bring home a family dinner. Frequently, the expense of fishing makes this the most costly family meal. Slowly, some progress is being made. Fish size and catch limits, seasonal bans on certain species, the increase in catch and release for sport fishing, all have helped. Restrictions on the types and size of nets, on where nets may be used, international limits on some species, and on the means of catching will help, too. However, there must also be elimination of pollution, elimination of damage to breeding places and growth habitat in wetlands, bays, estuaries and coastal waters. If we expect to continue to enjoy food from the sea, lakes, rivers, and bays, much must be done, and soon. In the meantime, we can try to make the most of what we can afford. |
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