Shrimp/prawn farming - the bad news in detail

I have known for a while that eating prawns are bad and should be avoided (see other posts on this blog) Prawns/shrimp are either caught using highly destructive trawling or farmed using methods that are highly destructive to marine and coastal ecological systems.

The following two links provide some more information and are interesting reading.

Hungry for change: EJ Foundation campaign for ethical shrimp (read prawn) farming and fisheries: click here

Details report into the shrimp industry : click here


The conclusion of the executive summary section of the "...costing the earth" report says:
"Immediate action is necessary by all stakeholders and specifically governments, the shrimp farming industry, seafood producers, traders and retailers plus aid and development agencies, which together are promoting or indirectly supporting the unsustainable and unethical practices of this industry."

The consumer guide references a need to be aware of what you are eating, ask the right questions of the restaurants and supermarkets and only buy ethically produced prawns.

Now that is the challenge. I don't see any labels or information to help consumers in this regard, maybe if we started to ask then this will start to happen.

EU closed Bluefin tuna fisheries for the rest of 2007

Due to the reaching of quotas for the year. This affects Cyprus, France, Greece, Italy, Malta, Portugal and Spain. The European Union Fisheries Common fisheries policy set a target to ensure the long term survival of tuna. This includes reducing the amount caught, banning the use of spotter planes and ensuring fish smaller than 30Kgs are returned to the sea. Fisheries policy in the EU has not been very successful in the past but hopefully this will be adhered to and successful.

There are three bluefin tuna species, all provide the highly prized flesh for sushi and shashimi in Japanese restaurants worlwide. All species are critically endangered due to overfishing.
Northern bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus)
Southern bluefin tuna (Thunnus maccoyii)
Pacific bluefin tuna (Thunnus orientalis)

We should all reduce consumption of this fish. See the seafood guides for more information:
Click here for the seafood guides


Press release for the closure of the fisheries for 2007 :
http://ec.europa.eu/fisheries/press_corner/press_releases/com07_60_en.htm

Press release regarding sustainable fisheries for the bluefin tuna
http://ec.europa.eu/fisheries/press_corner/press_releases/archives/com06/com06_88_en.htm

Malaysian ministry bans shark's fin soup

Just received this:

"Ministry bans shark's fin soup - Malaysiakini.com ( http://malaysiakini.com/ ) Sep 15, 07 4:16am

Malaysia's Natural Resources and Environment Ministry has struck off shark's fin soup from the menus at official functions, to help conserve the species, a report said today.

Minister Azmi Khalid told the official Bernama news agency that the ministry had made the commitment to the Malaysian Nature Society.

"By refraining from the consumption of shark's fin soup, it is hoped that the ministry would contribute in one way or another towards the current conservation efforts for sharks species," he said.

"Their demise would start off a domino effect, which at each stage could result in the depletion or overpopulation of other fish and marine species leading to an imbalance in the marine ecosystem," he said.

On preservation drive

The society's Selangor branch Marine Group is on a drive to encourage individuals and organisations to stop serving the delicacy at corporate functions.
The marine group had embarked on a series of activities and programmes to promote awareness on the plight of sharks and their importance to the marine ecosystem.

Malaysia's population is dominated by Muslim Malays, but there are also large ethnic Chinese and Indian communities."

What can be done to raise the awareness of this and to try to get other governments and ministries in the region follow suit...?

Dead blacktip shark in Hong Kong marine park

A juvenile blacktip shark (note : Not blacktip reef shark, description HERE) was caught in a fishermen's net in Hoi Ha Wan marine park.

Check out the following story:
http://www.news.gov.hk/en/category/environment/070830/html/070830en04003.htm

This has opened up the debate about whether fishermen should be allowed to fish in marine parks. The HK government does allow a limited number of fishing permits to be issued annually.

I don't think any fishing should be allowed in designated marine parks.