Fishing greed threatens sharks and rays
At least a quarter of sharks and rays in the north-east Atlantic face extinction, with another fifth "near threatened", according to a report by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). However, as scientists have insufficient information on another twenty-seven per cent, the true threat from fishing may be much greater still.
The spiny dogfish and porbeagle shark, both hunted for meat, and the deepwater gulper fish, used in the cosmetic industry, are all critically endangered, despite the blanket ban proposed by the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea. The basking shark, the world's second largest fish, is listed as vulnerable, while IUCN scientists fear that it could already be too late for two types of sawfish.
Claudine Gibson, lead author of the report, classes most sharks and rays as "exceptionally vulnerable because of their tendency to grow slowly, mature late, and produce few young." The EU is seeking to protect a host of species with huge fishing-quota reductions, action which Sonja Fordham of the Shark Alliance described as "immediately possible and absolutely necessary to change the course towards extinction of these remarkable ocean animals."
Animals Count condemns the greed and compassionlessness of the fishing industry, whose inconsiderate actions threaten what EU commisioner Joe Borg describes as "serious disturbance to the balance of marine ecosystems." We urge Mr. Borg's colleagues to act decisively.
12 November 2008 
Overfishing cause of species going extinct
A new report prepared by the Marine Conservation Society demonstrates that UK fish are facing extinction as a result of overfishing. The report was released as the government prepares its marine bill for parliament. Animals Count commented last week on the Scottish Marine Bill and also expressed concern about the fate of marine species. Animals Count urges the government to take drastic action to halt damage to all marine life.
14 October, 2008
UK to push for sustainable fishing at EU level
The EU is currently negotiating a bilateral fisheries agreement with Norway and Mr Jonathan Shaw, Fisheries Minister, said that the focus should be on sustainable fishery based on 'scientific advice that stocks are improving.'
Animals Count wonders which scientific advice Mr Shaw is referring to. The common skate is already extinct in the North Sea and species such as cod, herring and whiting are at the brink of extinction. Only last year scientists demanded a ban on North Sea cod fishing as years of tougher quotas within the EU failed to revive stocks.
In addition to these species, many other sea life has been disrupted due to unsustainable and greedy fishing methods as well as pollution. Animal Count is sceptical that commercial fishing can ever be sustainable especially given that hundreds of thousands of tonnes of fish, shrimp and other marine species are caught to feed industry-raised fish such as salmon. These captive fish suffer enormously and the intensive farming methods cause pollution at a grand scale.
Animals Count wants to see tougher measures on wild caught fish, as well as on industry-raised fish to reduce suffering, pollution and the threat of species going extinct. Ecology must be considered before economics.
28 October, 2007