Many countries make rules and regulations regarding proper fishing practices, but this often invites poachers to break them. Illegal fishing is rampant in certain areas of the world, lending heavily to the overall problem of overfishing. 85% of all fisheries are fished to capacity, or overfished. Overfishing is the single most detrimental impact that humans…
Strange Tides – An Upheaval in the California Coastal Food Web
The coastal waters of California are strikingly diverse and rich with sea life. Currents, winds, and upwelling combine to create a singularly unique set of ecosystems, each very separate yet completely intertwined. These systems are constantly evolving and we do not yet fully understand the human impact on many of them. That is why at…
Which Side to Choose? A Battle Between a Sustainable Oyster Farm and the Preservation of Wilderness
Can humans live in harmony with wilderness? The question is a critical one with the countless environmental concerns of our world today. An ever expanding population places higher demands on space and food every day. Many organizations, governmental and otherwise, are attempting to protect nature and keep the human influence to a minimum. We have…
The Enemy Drought – Fight The Depletion of Our Natural Resources by Practicing Sustainable Living
“Water should never be treated as a nonrenewable resource; it should always be treated with the respect it deserves as the foundation of life on the planet.” -David Brown California contains one of the most unique and diverse set of ecosystems in the world. The Golden State has snow covered mountains and fertile valleys, dry…
Super Typhoon Haiyan Destroys Homes, Damages Coral Reefs, and Strengthens the Human Connection in the Philippines
The third and final piece in the story of Malapascua is sorrowful, yet it contains a promise of hope for the future. The reefs of Malapascua have faced many challenges with destructive fishing methods and damaging ecotourism. The greatest challenge yet still confronts them – recovery from the devastation wrought by the super typhoon Haiyan….
Ecotourism Brings Prosperity to Malapascua Island and Devastation to Reefs
“Unless we practice conservation, those who come after us will have to pay the price of misery, degradation, and failure for the progress and prosperity of our day.” – Gifford Pinchot The human soul is in love with the natural world. It gives us joy to see a baby duck waddle after its mother. Peace…
Destructive Fishing Prompts Marine Conservation on Malapascua Island
The last morning on Malapascua Island, after six weeks of making it my home, is the one morning I remember best. I sat on the beach before sunrise, listening to the island slowly come awake. Gentle waves whispered softly as they caressed the shoreline. The bancas rumbled pleasantly, brimming with tourists as they lumbered out…
Interview with Kristin Aquilino, Research Biologist with Bodega Marine Lab, Explains a New Hope for the Endangered White Abalone
Once revered for their sweet and delicate taste amongst seafood connoisseurs, the white abalone was decimated by a poorly managed fishery. Now considered nearly extinct in the wild, biologists have used living lab specimens to spawn and create baby abalone for the first time in almost a decade. The hope is that eventually we will be…
Technology Advances Traceability – Video Following the North Sea Haddock from Sea to Plate Promotes Traceability and Sustainability
“The journey of the haddock is quite important to me. I want the customer to understand… the provenance of all the ingredients. I want to let them to see a sustainable fish being caught, handled, landed, sold at market, processed, delivered… When people feel a part of the journey, I think that’s important.” – Calum Richardson,…
Plummeting Price of the Bluefin Tuna – What Does This Mean for the Plight of the World’s Most Expensive Fish?
Living wild species are like a library of books still unread. Our heedless destruction of them is akin to burning the library without ever having read its books. – John Dingell In January of last year, the global fishing community witnessed the rise of the Pacific bluefin tuna to the status of the most expensive fish…