Sustainable fisheries
The meaning of sustainable fisheries is, in easy words, just to take as much fish from the sea as it is produced by the sea at the same time. Fish stocks therefore have the chance to recover. Applying this concept would conserve the ecosystem sea and protect the fisheries from varying catches.
Sustainable fisheries should follow certain principles. These principles are also applied by the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) and they are:
- Principle 1 Fisheries should prevent the risk of overexploitation. In case of overexploitation, a recovery plan should be implemented.
- Principle 2 Fishery activities should be performed in a way that no harm for the structure, productivity, functionality and diversity of the ecosystem, which the fishery depends on, will occur.
- Principle 3 Fisheries should be part of an effective management strategy, which respects local, regional and international contracts and standards.
One important component of sustainable fisheries should be a reliable and long-ranging fisheries research, which should be independent against stakeholders from industry and environmental protection agencies. Such independence should still allow a healthy discussion between all stakeholders.
IMARE's mission for sustainable fisheries is to foster the discussion between all stakeholders and to moderate between the demands of research and the interests of the fisheries.