Ocean Conservation Group: 20 Percent of All Captured Fish is Trashed

Oceana is the largest international organization that focuses solely on ocean conservation with offices in North America, South America, and Europe. Their latest report reveals sobering news about commercial fishing in the United States.

What the United States wastes annually is nearly equivalent to what the rest of the world catches in the same time period. Oceana projected that two billion pounds, or between 17-22 percent of the total fish captured each year is thrown away, which is known as "bycatch."

Nine fisheries responsible for wasting the most fish were included in Oceana's report yesterday. The organization's policing efforts are applauded. They discovered that the reason so many fish get dumped every year is because the commercial gear is designed to catch as many fish possible, and the fish not suitable for restaurants or seafood markets are discarded.

Oceana's news release unveiled the nine dirtiest and most wasteful fisheries in the United States: Southeast Snapper-Grouper Longline Fishery; California Set Gillnet Fishery; Southeast Shrimp Trawl Fishery; California Drift Gillnet Fishery; Gulf of Alaska Flatfish Trawl Fishery; Northeast Bottom Trawl; Mid-Atlantic Bottom Trawl Fishery; Atlantic Highly Migratory Species Longline Fishery; and New England and Mid-Atlantic Gillnet Fishery.

Oceana compiled data provided by the National Marine Fisheries Service. They also discovered that even when fisherman accidentally drag in species that they're not permitted to catch, they're most likely already dead. These fishing regulations are believed to result in more trashed fish. Trawling vessels in Alaska were estimated to have thrown back seven million pounds of dead fish in a year, according to the report.

The amount of fish wasted per year is equivalent to half a billion seafood meals. It's hard for seafood markets and restaurants to deny product from these fisheries in order to take a stand because there's no other place to obtain fish from to provide for their customers. Shoppers also continue to be concerned about how fish are caught, but it has been hard to dig up the root of the problem. Oceana has fought the battle for those out there who are concerned and hopefully sanctions will be established or policies are amended.

To read more about Oceana's study and the wasteful U.S. fisheries, visit this National Public Radio article as well as the Oceana website.