Number three on the list merits particular concern now.
#3: Tuna
(Tuna Image; NOAA)
According to the WWF, exports of tuna products recently exceeded USD $6 billion per year.
What goes into tuna sandwiches and on dinner plates consists of seven major tuna species: albacore, bigeye, skipjack, yellowfin, and three species of bluefin. All except for skipjack are often "fully exploited, overexploited or depleted," the WWF says. Sharks, marine turtles, small cetaceans and seabirds frequently wind up as by-catch. I was surprised when the WWF said that "tuna fishing at both industrial and artisanal scales also disrupts ecosystems." So-called artisanal fishing sometimes advertises that it's better for the environment. Hopefully the ISSF can help to protect the world's tuna populations.
#2 Groundfish
Groundfish are fish that live on or near the bottom of bodies of water they inhabit. They include halibut, sole and flounder. "Hoki" (also called blue hake) and pollock fall into this group too. In recent weeks, there have been a number of media reports on diminishing stocks of hoki, found in McDonald's well-known filet-o-fish sandwiches. For example, the New York Times last week reported on this "ugly and tasty" fish .
(Filet-O-Fish, Credit: Tomomarusan)
(Dover sole; Credit: Hans Hillewaert)
#1 Shrimp
Cultures usually differ in their food tastes, but people the world over seem to all love shrimp. The WWF lists them as the most commercially valuable marine animal in the world. South Carolina's Department of Natural Resources also mentions, "Shrimp are America’s most valuable and probably most popular seafood. Whole cultures and maritime communities are based solely on these crustaceans."
(Shrimp; Credit: Tomasz Sienicki)
Mantis shrimp can be aggressive little creatures, as demonstrated in this video.
Tags: Animals
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