Marine ecosystems - Fisheries

Title

Climate-Forced Variability of Ocean Hypoxia

Reference

Science, 2011; DOI: 10.1126/science.1202422

Author(s)

C. Deutsch, H. Brix, T. Ito, H. Frenzel, L. Thompson

Study type

Peer Review Journal

Abstract

Oxygen is a critical constraint on marine ecosystems. As oceanic O₂ falls to hypoxic concentrations, habitability for aerobic organisms decreases rapidly. We show that the spatial extent of hypoxia is highly sensitive to small changes in the ocean's O₂ content, with maximum responses at suboxic concentrations where anaerobic metabolisms predominate. In model-based reconstructions of historical oxygen changes, the world's largest suboxic zone, in the Pacific Ocean, varies in size by two-fold. This is due to climate-driven changes in the depth of the tropical and subtropical thermocline that have multiplicative effects on respiration rates in low-O₂ water. The same mechanism yields even larger fluctuations in the rate of nitrogen removal via denitrification, creating a link between decadal climate oscillations and the nutrient limitation of marine photosynthesis.

Policy theme(s)

Climate change and energy >> Climate change adaptation >> Biodiversity impacts
Marine ecosystems >> Fisheries

Keywords

N/A

Entry Source:

Shortlisted for Science for Environment Policy News Alert

Referred to in EC doc:

N/A

View this study at:

http://www.sciencemag.org/content/333/6040/336.abstract
There is a fee to view this study in full

Contact the study author at:

cdeutsch@atmos.ucla.edu

Title

Unexpected patterns of fisheries collapse in the world's oceans

Reference

PNAS May 17, 2011 vol. 108 no. 20 8317-8322

Author(s)

Malin L. Pinsky, Olaf P. Jensen, Daniel Ricard and Stephen R. Palumbi

Study type

Peer Review Journal

Abstract

Understanding which species are most vulnerable to human impacts is a prerequisite for designing effective conservation strategies. Surveys of terrestrial species have suggested that large-bodied species and top predators are the most at risk, and it is commonly assumed that such patterns also apply in the ocean. However, there has been no global test of this hypothesis in the sea. We analyzed two fisheries datasets (stock assessments and landings) to determine the life-history traits of species that have suffered dramatic population collapses. Contrary to expectations, our data suggest that up to twice as many fisheries for small, low trophic-level species have collapsed compared with those for large predators. These patterns contrast with those on land, suggesting fundamental differences in the ways that industrial fisheries and land conversion affect natural communities. Even temporary collapses of small, low trophic-level fishes can have ecosystem-wide impacts by reducing food supply to larger fish, seabirds, and marine mammals.

Policy theme(s)

Marine ecosystems >> Biodiversity
Marine ecosystems >> Fisheries

Keywords

body size, ecosystem-based management, food webs, life-history theory, marine conservation

Entry Source:

Shortlisted for Science for Environment Policy News Alert

Referred to in EC doc:

N/A

View this study at:

http://www.pnas.org/content/108/20/8317.abstract
There is a fee to view this study in full

Contact the study author at:

malin.pinsky@gmail.com

Title

Identification of landscapes for drafting Natura 2000 network Management Plans: A case study in Sicily

Reference

Landscape and Urban Planning
Volume 101, Issue 3, 15 June 2011, Pages 228-243

Author(s)

Patrizia Russo, Laura Carullo, Lara Riguccio and Giovanna Tomaselli

Study type

Peer Review Journal

Abstract

Article 6 of the Habitats Directive provides appropriate Management Plans (MPs) for Natura 2000 network sites which comply with ecological requirements. In Sicily, between 2000 and 2006, 58 Management Plans were drawn up involving 219/233 regional sites. These drafts had to refer to regional directives, drawing on European Union and national guidelines. They require knowledge and intervention not only with reference to aspects of site biology, but also to landscape components. Landscapes should be described 'considering them as the synthesis of physical, biological, historical and cultural characteristics'. This work presents the results of a method proposed by ECOVAST (European Council for the Village and Small Town), based on a visual cognitive analysis for identifying landscapes which was tested while drafting the Natura 2000 site MP 'Torre Manfria, Biviere of Gela and seafront area' on Sicily's southern coast. The work consists of: drafting thematic maps for preliminary territorial analysis; producing a layout of routes from which the landscape was observed; identifying Landscape Units and filling analysis and assessment charts; drafting final results. The results show that the adapted ECOVAST method for the cognitive phase of the MP provided a satisfactory level of information about the landscape as expressed in the European Landscape Convention, the main reference for European Union states. The defined Landscape Units and their relative characteristics provided support for geographically referencing the 'management actions'. Adapting the ECOVAST method helped identify the landscape as having an explicit role in the ELC within a plan type which subordinates protecting the landscape.

Policy theme(s)

Biodiversity >> Habitats >> Habitat management
Biodiversity >> Habitats >> Protected areas/Natura 2000

Keywords

SCIs and SPAs, Site analysis, Methodological instrument

Entry Source:

Selected for Science for Environment Policy News Alert

Referred to in EC doc:

N/A

View this study at:

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0169204611000946
There is a fee to view this study in full

Contact the study author at:

patrusso@unict.it

Title

Bycatch governance and best practice mitigation technology in global tuna fisheries

Reference

Marine Policy
Volume 35, Issue 5, September 2011, Pages 590-609

Author(s)

Eric L. Gilman

Study type

Peer Review Journal

Abstract

Overexploitation of bycatch and target species in marine capture fisheries is the most widespread and direct driver of change and loss of global marine biodiversity. Bycatch in purse seine and pelagic longline tuna fisheries, the two primary gear types for catching tunas, is a primary mortality source of some populations of seabirds, sea turtles, marine mammals and sharks. Bycatch of juvenile tunas and unmarketable species and sizes of other fish in purse seine fisheries, and juvenile swordfish in longline fisheries, contributes to the overexploitation of some stocks, and is an allocation issue. There has been substantial progress in identifying gear technology solutions to seabird and sea turtle bycatch on longlines and to direct dolphin mortality in purse seines. Given sufficient investment, gear technology solutions are probably feasible for the remaining bycatch problems. More comprehensive consideration across species groups is needed to identify conflicts as well as mutual benefits from mitigation methods. Fishery-specific bycatch assessments are necessary to determine the efficacy, economic viability, practicality and safety of alternative mitigation methods. While support for gear technology research and development has generally been strong, political will to achieve broad uptake of best practices has been lacking. The five Regional Fisheries Management Organizations have achieved mixed progress mitigating bycatch. Large gaps remain in both knowledge of ecological risks and governance of bycatch. Most binding conservation and management measures fall short of gear technology best practice. A lack of performance standards, in combination with an inadequate observer coverage for all but large Pacific purse seiners, and incomplete data collection, hinders assessing measures' efficacy. Compliance is probably low due to inadequate surveillance and enforcement. Illegal, unreported and unregulated tuna fishing hampers governance efforts. Replacing consensus-based decision-making and eliminating opt-out provisions would help. Instituting rights-based management measures could elicit improved bycatch mitigation practices. While gradual improvements in an international governance of bycatch can be expected, market-based mechanisms, including retailers and their suppliers working with fisheries to gradually improve practices and governance, promise to be expeditious and effective.

Policy theme(s)

Marine ecosystems; Biodiversity
Marine ecosystems; Fisheries

Keywords

Bycatch, Discard, Fisheries, Mitigation, Regional fisheries management organization, Tuna

Entry Source:

N/A

Referred to in EC doc:

Selected for Science for Environment Policy News Alert

View this study at:

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0308597X11000224
There is a fee to view this study in full

Contact the study author at:

EricLGilman@gmail.com

Title

The Impact of Subsidies on the Ecological Sustainability and Future Profits from North Sea Fisheries

Reference

PLoS ONE 6(5): e20239. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0020239

Author(s)

Johanna Jacomina Heymans, Steven Mackinson, Ussif Rashid Sumaila, Andrew Dyck, Alyson Little

Study type

Peer Review Journal

Abstract

Background
This study examines the impact of subsidies on the profitability and ecological stability of the North Sea fisheries over the past 20 years. It shows the negative impact that subsidies can have on both the biomass of important fish species and the possible profit from fisheries. The study includes subsidies in an ecosystem model of the North Sea and examines the possible effects of eliminating fishery subsidies.
Methodology/Principal Findings
Hindcast analysis between 1991 and 2003 indicates that subsidies reduced the profitability of the fishery even though gross revenue might have been high for specific fisheries sectors. Simulations seeking to maximise the total revenue between 2004 and 2010 suggest that this can be achieved by increasing the effort of Nephrops trawlers, beam trawlers, and the pelagic trawl-and-seine fleet, while reducing the effort of demersal trawlers. Simulations show that ecological stability can be realised by reducing the effort of the beam trawlers, Nephrops trawlers, pelagic- and demersal trawl-and-seine fleets. This analysis also shows that when subsidies are included, effort will always be higher for all fleets, because it effectively reduces the cost of fishing.
Conclusions/Significance
The study found that while removing subsidies might reduce the total catch and revenue, it increases the overall profitability of the fishery and the total biomass of commercially important species. For example, cod, haddock, herring and plaice biomass increased over the simulation when optimising for profit, and when optimising for ecological stability, the biomass for cod, plaice and sole also increased. When subsidies are eliminated, the study shows that rather than forcing those involved in the fishery into the red, fisheries become more profitable, despite a decrease in total revenue due to a loss of subsidies from the government.

Policy theme(s)

Marine ecosystems >> Fisheries

Keywords

N/A

Entry Source:

Shortlisted for Science for Environment Policy News Alert

Referred to in EC doc:

N/A

View this study at:

http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0020239
This study is free to view

Contact the study author at:

sheilaheymans@yahoo.com

Title

Could Seals Prevent Cod Recovery in the Baltic Sea?

Reference

PloS ONE

Author(s)

Brian R. MacKenzie, Margit Eero, Henn Ojaveer

Study type

Peer review journal

Abstract

Fish populations are increasingly affected by multiple human and natural impacts including exploitation, eutrophication, habitat alteration and climate change. As a result many collapsed populations may have to recover in ecosystems whose structure and functioning differ from those in which they were formerly productive and supported sustainable fisheries. Here we investigate how a cod (Gadus morhua) population in the Baltic Sea whose biomass was reduced due to a combination of high exploitation and deteriorating environmental conditions might recover and develop in the 21st century in an ecosystem that likely will change due to both the already started recovery of a cod predator, the grey seal Halichoerus grypus, and projected climate impacts. Simulation modelling, assuming increased seal predation, fishing levels consistent with management plan targets and stable salinity, shows that the cod population could reach high levels well above the long-term average. Scenarios with similar seal and fishing levels but with 15% lower salinity suggest that the Baltic will still be able to support a cod population which can sustain a fishery, but biomass and yields will be lower. At present knowledge of cod and seal interactions, seal predation was found to have much lower impact on cod recovery, compared to the effects of exploitation and salinity. These results suggest that dual management objectives (recovery of both seal and cod populations) are realistic but success in achieving these goals will also depend on how climate change affects cod recruitment.

Policy theme(s)

Marine ecosystems >> Biodiversity
Marine ecosystems >> Fisheries

Keywords

N/A

Entry Source:

Shortlisted for Science for Environment Policy News Alert

Referred to in EC doc:

N/A

View this study at:

http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0018998
This study is free to view

Contact the study author at:

brm@aqua.dtu.dk

Title

Global seabird bycatch in longline fisheries

Reference

Endang Species Res 14:91-106

Author(s)

Orea R. J. Anderson, Cleo J. Small, John P. Croxall, Euan K. Dunn, Benedict J. Sullivan, Oliver Yates, Andrew Black

Study type

Peer Review Journal

Abstract

Bycatch in longline fisheries is believed to govern the adverse conservation status of many seabird species, but no comprehensive global assessment has been undertaken. We reviewed the extent of seabird bycatch in all longline fisheries for which data are available. Despite the many inadequacies and assumptions contained therein, we estimated that at least 160000 (and potentially in excess of 320000) seabirds are killed annually. Most frequently caught are albatrosses, petrels and shearwaters, with current levels of mortality liable to be unsustainable for some species and populations. Where realistic comparisons can be made, with data from the 1990s, there is evidence of substantially reduced bycatch in some key fisheries. Reductions stem from decreased fishing effort (especially in illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing in the Southern Ocean), and greater and more effective use of technical mitigation measures, notably in demersal fisheries. However, bycatch problems in other fisheries have also emerged. Current concerns include those with previously unidentified bycatch problems (e.g. Spanish Gran Sol demersal fleet) and those where bycatch was identified, but where persistent data gaps prevented adequate assessments of the scale of the impact (e.g. Nordic demersal fisheries). Future assessments will only achieve greater precision when minimum standards of data collection, reporting and analysis are implemented by longline fishing fleets and the relevant regional fishery management organisations. Those fisheries in which bycatch has been substantially reduced demonstrate that the problem of seabird bycatch could be reduced to negligible proportions by enforced implementation of appropriate best-practice mitigation devices and techniques.

Policy theme(s)

Biodiversity >> Threats to biodiversity >> Human impacts
Marine ecosystems >> Biodiversity
Marine ecosystems >> Fisheries

Keywords

Bycatch,  Seabirds, Albatrosses, Global, Threats, Marine conservation

Entry Source:

Selected for Science for Environment Policy News Alert

Referred to in EC doc:

N/A

View this study at:

http://www.int-res.com/abstracts/esr/v14/n2/p91-106/
This study is free to view

Contact the study author at:

orea.anderson@rspb.org.uk

Title

Identifying Fishes through DNA Barcodes and Microarrays

Reference

PLoS ONE 5(9): e12620.
doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0012620

Author(s)

Marc Kochzius , Christian Seidel, Aglaia Antoniou et al

Study type

Peer Review Journal

Abstract

Background
International fish trade reached an import value of 62.8 billion Euro in 2006, of which 44.6% are covered by the European Union. Species identification is a key problem throughout the life cycle of fishes: from eggs and larvae to adults in fisheries research and control, as well as processed fish products in consumer protection.
Methodology/Principal Findings
This study aims to evaluate the applicability of the three mitochondrial genes 16S rRNA (16S), cytochrome b (cyt b), and cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) for the identification of 50 European marine fish species by combining techniques of 'DNA barcoding' and microarrays. In a DNA barcoding approach, neighbour Joining (NJ) phylogenetic trees of 369 16S, 212 cyt b, and 447 COI sequences indicated that cyt b and COI are suitable for unambiguous identification, whereas 16S failed to discriminate closely related flatfish and gurnard species. In course of probe design for DNA microarray development, each of the markers yielded a high number of potentially species-specific probes in silico, although many of them were rejected based on microarray hybridisation experiments. None of the markers provided probes to discriminate the sibling flatfish and gurnard species. However, since 16S-probes were less negatively influenced by the 'position of label' effect and showed the lowest rejection rate and the highest mean signal intensity, 16S is more suitable for DNA microarray probe design than cty b and COI. The large portion of rejected COI-probes after hybridisation experiments (>90%) renders the DNA barcoding marker as rather unsuitable for this high-throughput technology.
Conclusions/Significance
Based on these data, a DNA microarray containing 64 functional oligonucleotide probes for the identification of 30 out of the 50 fish species investigated was developed. It represents the next step towards an automated and easy-to-handle method to identify fish, ichthyoplankton, and fish products.

Policy theme(s)

Marine ecosystems >> Biodiversity
Marine ecosystems >> Fisheries

Keywords

N/A

Entry Source:

Shortlisted for Science for Environment Policy News Alert

Referred to in EC doc:

N/A

View this study at:

http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0012620
This study is free to view

Contact the study author at:

marc.kochzius@vub.ac.be

Title

Relationship between sedimentation rates and benthic impact on Maërl beds derived from fish farming in the Mediterranean

Reference

Author(s)

Carlos Sanz-Lázaro , María Dolores Belando , Lázaro Marín-Guirao , Francisco Navarrete-Mier and Arnaldo Marín

Study type

Peer Review Journal

Abstract

The aim of this work was to study the dispersion of particulate wastes derived from marine fish farming and correlate the data with the impact on the seabed. Carbon and nutrients were correlated with the physico-chemical parameters of the sediment and the benthic community structure. The sedimentation rates in the benthic system were 1.09, 0.09 and 0.13 g m-2 day-1 for particulate organic carbon (POC), particulate organic nitrogen (PON) and total phosphorus (TP), respectively. TP was a reliable parameter for establishing the spatial extent of the fish farm particulate wastes. Fish farming was seen to influence not only physico-chemical and biological parameters but also the functioning of the ecosystem from a trophic point of view, particularly affecting the grazers and the balance among the trophic groups. POC, PON and TP sedimentation dynamics reflected the physico-chemical status of the sediment along the distance gradient studied, while their impact on the benthic community extended further. Therefore, the level of fish farm impact on the benthic community might be underestimated if it is assessed by merely taking into account data obtained from waste dispersion rates. The benthic habitat beneath the fish farm, Maërl bed, was seen to be very sensitive to aquaculture impact compared with other unvegetated benthic habitats, with an estimated POC-carrying capacity to maintain current diversity of 0.087 g C m-2 day-1 (only 36% greater than the basal POC input). Environmental protection agencies should define different aquaculture waste load thresholds for different benthic communities affected by finfish farming, according to their particular degree of sensitivity, in order to maintain natural ecosystem functions.

Policy theme(s)

Marine ecosystems >> Biodiversity
Marine ecosystems >> Fisheries

Keywords

Mediterranean, Particulate wastes, Finfish aquaculture, Trophic groups

Entry Source:

Selected for Science for Environment Policy News Alert

Referred to in EC doc:

N/A

View this study at:

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0141113610001637
There is a fee to view this study in full

Contact the study author at:

carsanz@um.es

Title

Reference

Nature (2011) doi:10.1038/nature09689

Author(s)

Study type

Peer Review Journal

Abstract

One billion people depend on seafood as their primary source of protein and 25% of the world's total animal protein comes from fisheries. Yet a third of fish stocks worldwide are overexploited or depleted. Using individual case studies, many have argued that community-based co-management should prevent the tragedy of the commons because cooperative management by fishers, managers and scientists often results in sustainable fisheries. However, general and multidisciplinary evaluations of co-management regimes and the conditions for social, economic and ecological success within such regimes are lacking. Here we examine 130 co-managed fisheries in a wide range of countries with different degrees of development, ecosystems, fishing sectors and type of resources. We identified strong leadership as the most important attribute contributing to success, followed by individual or community quotas, social cohesion and protected areas. Less important conditions included enforcement mechanisms, long-term management policies and life history of the resources. Fisheries were most successful when at least eight co-management attributes were present, showing a strong positive relationship between the number of these attributes and success, owing to redundancy in management regulations. Our results demonstrate the critical importance of prominent community leaders and robust social capital, combined with clear incentives through catch shares and conservation benefits derived from protected areas, for successfully managing aquatic resources and securing the livelihoods of communities depending on them. Our study offers hope that co-management, the only realistic solution for the majority of the world's fisheries, can solve many of the problems facing global fisheries.

Policy theme(s)

Marine ecosystems >> Fisheries

Keywords

Fisheries

Entry Source:

Selected for Science for Environment Policy News Alert

Referred to in EC doc:

N/A

View this study at:

http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v470/n7334/full/nature09689.html
There is a fee to view this study in full

Contact the study author at:

nicolasg@uw.edu

Title

Deleterious effects in mice of fish-associated methylmercury contained in a diet mimicking the Western populations' average fish consumption

Reference

Environment International
Volume 37, Issue 2, February 2011, Pages 303-313

Author(s)

Jean-Paul Bourdineaud, Masatake Fujimura, Muriel Laclau, Masumi Sawada and Akira Yasutake

Study type

Peer Review Journal

Abstract

Methylmercury (MeHg) is a potent neurotoxin, and human beings are mainly exposed to this pollutant through fish consumption. Only a few contradictory epidemiological studies are currently available examining the impact of fish consumption on human populations. In the present study, we wanted to address whether a diet mimicking the fish consumption of Western populations could result in observable adverse effects in mice, and whether beneficial nutriments from fish were able to counterbalance the deleterious effects of MeHg, if any. In Europe and the United States, fish consumption varies widely between countries, from 11 to 100 g fish/day. A mid-range value of 25 g fish/day corresponds to a
fish contribution to the total diet of 1.25% on a dry weight basis. We decided to supplement a vegetarian-based mouse diet with 1.25% of lyophilized salmon flesh (SAL diet), or 1.25% of a blend of lyophilized cod, tuna, and
swordfish (CTS diet). Total mercury contents were 1.15±0.15, 2.3±0.1 and 35.75±0.15 ng Hg/g of food pellets for the control, SAL and CTS diets, respectively. After two months feeding, the CTS diet resulted in significant observable effects as compared to the control and SAL diets, encompassing decreased body growth, altered behavioral performance and increased anxiety level, modification of mitochondrial respiratory protein subunit concentrations in kidney and brain structures,modified gene expression patterns in kidneys, liver and muscles, and a decrease of dopamine concentrations in the hypothalamus and striatum.Our findings have health implications, firstly because 1.25% of CTS flesh in the diet corresponds to an average exposure to MeHg below the WHO provisory tolerable weekly intake (PTWI) (1.6 µg MeHg/kg of body weight/
week), and secondly because many people in Western populations, among them women of child-bearing age,are exceeding the PTWI value (for instance, 35% of the French population inhabiting the Atlantic and Mediterranean coasts).

Policy theme(s)

Chemicals >> Pollutants/hazardous substances >> Heavy metals
Environment and health >> Health risks >> Product safety
Marine ecosystems >> Fisheries

Keywords

Fish consumption, Methylmercury, Ecotoxicology,Tuna

Entry Source:

Selected for Science for Environment Policy News Alert

Referred to in EC doc:

N/A

View this study at:

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0160412010001959
There is a fee to view this study in full

Contact the study author at:

jp.bourdineaud@epoc.u-bordeaux1.fr

Title

Reference

Environmental Chemistry Letters
DOI: 10.1007/s10311-010-0306-y

Author(s)

Nesrine Gdoura, Abdelwaheb Abdelmouleh, Jean-Claude Murat, Khansa Chaabouni, Fatma Makni-Ayedi and Abdelfattah Elfeki

Study type

Peer Review Journal

Abstract

In recent years, a number of studies have clearly pointed out the nutritional benefits of fish consumption. However, some concerns about potential health risks derived from contaminants found in fish have also been raised. Therefore, balancing adequately the risks and benefits of fish consumption is currently a health key issue. As tuna fish represents a large part of the traditional food in some countries, the possible impact of tuna fish consumption on public health was investigated. Hepatic damages following consumption of tuna fish white (ordinary) or red (dark) muscle were evaluated in rat. Under our experimental conditions, feeding the animals for 60 days with white or, more markedly, red tuna meat resulted in 1) an elevated uric acid level in blood, 2) an accumulation of lead in liver, 3) an atrophy of liver, 4) an increase in plasma aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase activities, and 5) an oxidative stress in liver including an increased level of lipids peroxidation and enhanced activities of superoxide dismutase, catalase and glutathione peroxidase. In addition, liver histology revealed several abnormalities. These alterations could be attributed to both lead accumulation and high purine levels in tuna meat. We conclude that attention should be paid to a possible health impact of frequent and important consumption of tuna fish meat, especially the dark one.

Policy theme(s)

Chemicals >> Pollutants/hazardous substances >> Heavy metals
Environment and health >> Health risks >> Product safety
Marine ecosystems >> Fisheries

Keywords

Tuna fish consumption, Rat liver, Oxidative, Stress, Lead

Entry Source:

Shortlisted for Science for Environment Policy News Alert

Referred to in EC doc:

N/A

View this study at:

http://www.springerlink.com/content/q50115w08328872q/fulltext.pdf
There is a fee to view this study in full

Contact the study author at:

abdelfattah.elfeki@fss.rnu.tn

Title

Smoke, mirrors, and mislabeled cod: poor transparency in the European seafood industry

Reference

Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment 8: 517-521
doi:10.1890/090212

Author(s)

Dana D Miller and Stefano Mariani

Study type

Peer Review Journal

Abstract

Accurate seafood labels can play a role in encouraging sustainable fisheries operation, by helping consumers to correctly identify the origins of seafood products, and thereby allowing them to make informed, responsible purchasing decisions. Yet, the renaming and mislabeling of seafood - as a consequence of ineffective regulations or poor policy implementation - remain serious problems. Here, we show that 39 out of 156 (25%) cod and haddock products, randomly sampled from supermarkets, fishmongers' shops, and take-away restaurants throughout Dublin, Ireland, were genetically identified as entirely different species from that indicated on the product labels, and therefore were considered mislabeled under European Union (EU) regulations. More significantly, 28 out of 34 (82.4%) smoked fish samples were found to be mislabeled. These results indicate that the strict EU policies currently in place to regulate seafood labeling have not been adequately implemented and enforced. Although the problem of seafood mislabeling has recently been brought to public attention in North America, we show here that product mislabeling is also an issue in Europe. We suggest that - through sustained consumer misinformation - mislabeling may hamper efforts to allow depleted cod stocks to recover.

Policy theme(s)

Marine ecosystems >> Fisheries
Sustainable consumption and production >> Sustainable consumption >> Ecolabelling

Keywords

Seafood, Product labelling, Fisheries

Entry Source:

Selected for Science for Environment Policy News Alert

Referred to in EC doc:

N/A

View this study at:

http://www.esajournals.org/doi/abs/10.1890/090212
There is a fee to view this study in full

Contact the study author at:

stefano.mariani@ucd.ie