A Perspective on Commercial Seafood Sources
Let’s start with the basics.
What do we fish? A variety of species found in the aquatic environment such as fish, mollusks, and crustaceans.
Why do we fish? Put simply, for commercial use, recreational use, and subsistence.
Where do we fish? Mostly near the coastline because of the convenience and the nutrient-rich waters due to upwelling. However, it can also occur in the open ocean.
Next, let’s talk specifics provided by the State of the World’s Fisheries, a flagship publication of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) Fisheries and Aquaculture Department.
As of 2016, the global capture fisheries production was 90.9 million tons with the total marine catches by China, the world’s top producer, and the global aquaculture production was 110.2 million tons.
Aquaculture is the farming of aquatic organisms, while capture fishery is wildfish catches for all commercial, industrial, recreational and subsistence purposes.
It’s almost important to note that most of the seafood harvested are from organisms in three to four tropic levels above the primary producer.
The Alaska Pollack is the top species in 2016, with anchoveta ranked second, and skipjack tuna ranked third.
Alaska Pollack, known as the walleye pollack, are caught by trawlers in the Gulf of Alaska and the Bering Sea. The flavor is strong, although not highly recognized, and os often marketed at the “whitefish” found in fish sticks and fish and chips.
Clupeoid fishes, including anchoveta, herrings, sardines, pilchards, and menhaden, account for one-third of the total commercial catch as their schooling behavior makes them easy and affordable to catch/harvest.
Tuna, top carnivores in the food chain, are the most commercially exploited fish and are captured near-nutrient rich waters.
The total number of fishing vessels in the world in 2016 was estimated at 4.6 million, and the number of individuals were 59.6 million.
85% of the global production engaged in the fisheries and aquaculture sectors was in Asia, followed by Africa at 10%, and Latin America + the Caribbean at 4%.
Europe and North America, on the other hand, are experiencing a decrease in capture fishing.
Women accounted for nearly 14% of all people directly engaged in the fisheries and aquaculture primary sector.
Infographic by Don Foley
To wrap up, let’s touch base on some fishing gear and methods used.
Commercial fishing method
Gillnets can range widely in size but are often long stationary walls of mesh netting designed so only the fishes head can go through – if the fish or marine organism struggles, it comes more entangled. Gillnets can either be attached to poles or attached to buoys with a series of weights drawing the net dow
Environment Impact: a high number of bycatch (non-targeted marine life) that are harmed or sometimes killed when tangled in the net. Ghost fishing, which is when the net or gear is discarded, lost, or abandoned and continues to inflict harm and death on marine life, is also highly associated with gill nets.
Both a series of laws and regulations have been placed on gillnets to reduce the harm of gillnet. It is also banned in certain waters like the Mediterranean and Russia.
Commercial fishing method
Use of hundreds, or even thousands, of baited hooks hanging from a single main line that is often used to target more desirable fish in a certain zone (near the surface/pelagic zone to catch tuna and swordfish or in the deep ocean for cod and halibut).
Environmental Impact: the long lines can lead to the death seabirds when near the surface; sea turtles, sharks, and other non-targeted animals are caught as they’re attracted to the bait.
Commercial fishing method
Weighted net that is dragged across the ocean floor to catch shrimp and fish living on the seafloor.
Environment Impact: this method not only destroys and disturbs the ecosystems on the seafloor, but it also leads to increased bycatch that is discarded/harmed.
Commercial fishing method
A large wall of netting deployed around an entire area of school of fish that is then sinched at the bottom before reeling it in to harvest the catch.
Environmental Impact: hard to target one type of marine organism, as such the bycatch can be quite high.
When properly used, the bycatch can be reduced to as low as 1%.
Sustainable fishing method where you only catch what you need to feed yourself and the community.
This also allows the fishermen to quickly release bycatch before inducing harm.
Three-dimensional devices of either wood or wide are submerged underwater with bait secured inside to lure marine organisms such as crabs, lobsters, scup, and eels. Gear size will be determined based on the targeted species.
Environmental Impacts: Vertical lines connecting the trap to the surface buoy can entangle sea turtles and other marine life, which can cause serious injury and sometimes death.
If you’d like to continue to learn about commercial and aquaculture fishing gear, Monterrey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch has a wonderful feature HERE.
*Note: This article is not meant to bash or speak negatively of the fisheries / fishing community. This article is meant to provide a base knowledge of fisheries, from the statistics provided throughout the State of the World’s Fisheries to the methods used.