Source: Phys Org
Decades of overfishing in the English Channel has resulted in the removal of many top predators from the sea and left fishermen ‘scraping the barrel’ for increasing amounts of shellfish to make up their catch.
The discards from a prawn trawl in the Irish Sea are shown. Credit: Johnny Woodlock, Sea Fishery adisory Group, Irish Seal SanctuaryRead more at: https://phys.org/news/2014-07-overfishing-english-channel-fisherman-bottom.html#jCp
Sharks, rays, cod, haddock and many other species at the head of the food chain are at historic lows with many removed from the area completely.
These are some of the findings of a study led by marine biologists at Plymouth University, in association with international non-profit research organization WorldFish. They analysed catches over the past 90 years and found significant evidence of the practice of ‘fishing down the food web’.
The report, published in the PLOS ONE journal, used catch statistics from the International Council for the Exploration of the Seas to establish a ‘mean trophic level’ for catches – an average for how far up the food chain the fish are located.
For more, go to: phys.org/news/2014-07-overfishing-english-channel-fisherman-bottom.html