Sustainable Fishing

With all this talk about new sushi restaurants (Yellowtail and Archipelago), I was reminded of my other thought, the dwindling population of fish. How can all of these sushi places be supplied?

A quick Google brought me to Sushi Otaku's blog, "The toll that modern fishing techniques, equipment and attitudes are taking on the sea is astounding. I have written many times about the plight of the Bluefin Tuna, but many other species such as Cod, Swordfish, the Patagonian Toothfish (Chilean Sea Bass), and even many species of shark are all in gave danger of disappearing from the waters that once sustained them. Pollution, climate changes, and over fishing are all contributing on what seems to be a war against these creatures who are unable to protect themselves from man...While many people have been calling for a boycott of various fish that are in extreme danger, this will punish all fishermen equally and not effectively solve the problem of groups that essentially fish with malice. In order to keep a fish population healthy, a complete ban is not necessary (or even possible), however a strong push towards sustainable fishing will ensure a species survival. Large trawlers will decimate a species, with collateral damage to others, and will quickly empty an area of life. Quotas can be based on incorrect data, or even ignored. Sustainable hook and line fishing, however, will actually ensure that a species won’t be over fished (you just can’t catch enough fish with that method to ruin the population), and will actually produce a better product. If you have ever seen a comparison of a fish caught in a trawler with a fish caught with a hook and line, you would want to eat the hooked fish without question, and you would gladly pay more for the privilege. It sounds easy, but the only way for sustainable fishing to become common practice is if consumers ask for it. Your fishmonger may not know if the fish he sells originates from one source or the other, but if enough people ask, he will start to ask his suppliers. The information will move through the supply chain, and if fishermen begin to realize that consumers will only buy fish caught by sustainable practices, it may start a positive chain of events. "

I'm not much a fish eater, more other sea creatures like crustaceans and mollusks but it does seem to me that our fishes are in danger. So, hook and line, baby, hook and line.