Forage Fish
Forage fish are a key link in the food web for larger fish, seabirds, and marine mammals. A single humpback whale consumes 1,000 pounds of forage a day. These small fish—also called small pelagic fish or low trophic level species—account for 37 percent, or 31.5 million tons, of all fish taken from the world's oceans each year. Ninety percent of that catch is then turned into fish meal or fish oil, most of which is used as farm and aquaculture feed. A recent study by the Lenfest Ocean Program recommends cutting catch rates of many forage fish species in half to preserve them for marine ecosystems.
- The committee encouraged further studies of the impact of industrial fishing activities on these species.
- The committee acknowledged that the sustainable management of wild stocks used as feed for fish farming operations is an important issue for consideration.
SharksSharks in international waters are among the ocean’s most vulnerable animals, in part because they are particularly long-lived and are vulnerable to over-exploitation, but also because they lack fisheries protections. More than a decade ago, COFI members adopted the International Plan of Action for the Conservation and Management of Sharks (IPOA-Sharks) to ensure the conservation and management of sharks and their long-term sustainable use.
www.pewenvironment.org/news-room/other-resources/cofi-30-builds-on-rio20-momentum-85899406277
