The results of a survey commissioned by the Marine Stewardship Council highlights the woeful lack of knowledge of the world’s oceans among the general public.
A fifth of people surveyed were unaware that the Earth’s surface is more ocean than land, and more than a third were unaware that in some places the ocean is deeper than Mount Everest is high.
While 66% identified that overfishing is more widespread today than it was 50 years ago, 35% wrongly thought fish populations can never recover from overfishing, and a further 26% were unsure.
Released on World Ocean Day earlier this month, the insights highlight both the scale of public misunderstanding about the ocean and the need for greater awareness that, with the right management, fish stocks can rebound. The MSC report, Fishing for the Future, provides examples of fish stocks that recovered when effective, science-based measures were put in place to manage the fisheries targeting them.
The MSC cites the example of the Iberian sardine fishery, when Portuguese and Spanish fishers worked together under a new management plan to rebuild the stock. By 2025, the population of adult sardines was almost four times larger than it was in 2015, as well as East Atlantic bluefin tuna was close to collapse at the end of the 20th century. A comprehensive rebuilding plan, supported by strict rules for countries targeting this iconic species, helped the stock recover to its highest level since the 1960s.
In the UK, Cornish hake was overexploited and declined in the early 1990s, until sustainable management andchanges such as introducing larger mesh sizes in gillnets, helped rebuild the stock and maintain it at a healthy level.
The survey also found strong public concern about ocean health, with 86% of people saying they are worried about the state of the ocean. Climate change, pollution and declining fish populations were among the main concerns.
‘Our work with fisheries around the world, shows that whilst there is no doubting the scale of the challenge, recovery is possible,’ said MSC chief executive Rupert Howes.
‘With science-based management, strong collaboration and long-term commitment, it is possible to manage our marine resources sustainably. That is a message of hope — and one we need more people to hear and act on.’
