Fishing Subsidies Are Speeding the Decline of Ocean Health

[NickOttens]

[From The Pew Charitable Trusts](Fishing Subsidies Are Speeding the Decline of Ocean Health):

Fisheries subsidies are one of the key drivers behind [the] decline in fish stocks. Governments pay around $20 billion each year in damaging types of fisheries subsidies, primarily to industrial fishers, to offset costs such as fuel, gear, and vessel construction. Although not all subsidies are harmful, many encourage fishing beyond sustainable biological limits by helping vessels go farther and fish for longer periods and with greater capacity than they would without this assistance. Today, in part driven by fisheries subsidies, global fishing capacity — the total capability of the world’s fleets — is estimated at 250 percent of the level that would bring in the maximum sustainable catch.

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