Instructions
The single largest dilemma for endangered animal species is our human lack of faith.
We lack faith in the certainty of extinction facing many creatures. We lack faith in the science that shows us the damage we are causing. But most tragically we lack faith in our capacity to make a positive difference.
In the absence of faith we continue unabated along the same erroneous path, hurtling towards the certain destruction of many living things.
Remember, faith is a different commodity to hope, knowledge or anticipation. Faith is what we lean upon when all evidence seems contrary, and it is what informs our choices when problems seems insurmountable. Faith is the powerful idea that can actively create change.
Few parts of our food chain are in direr straits than our oceans. Worldwide fishing levels have experienced a 500% increase since the 1960’s, and while this reflects a growing world population it is simply not sustainable. Entire regions of the Mediterranean are now officially declared as ‘dead zones’ where no fish swim, a decidedly inelegant signpost along this road to ruin.
In Australia things are a little different. Courtesy of strong national legislation protecting marine parks as breeding grounds, and well-enforced declared fishing zones that stretch well into the Indian, Southern and Pacific oceans, we have put into effect world’s best practice.
Unfortunately, fish are not citizens, and their migrations follow paths that take them into trawling zones used by nations that do not share Australia’s stance on oceanic conservation. As such, the species we consider ‘Australian’ fish are still in danger of extinction.
Eventually many wild fisheries will collapse – this is unavoidable as core stock levels of multiple species are now below minimum maintenance levels. Hence the future of seafood lies in aquaculture – controlled coastal fish farming.
Along South Australia’s Eyre Peninsula and throughout Tasmania you’ll find a range of fish farms, from salmon and ocean trout, to kingfish, snapper, mussels, scallops and tuna. Hatchlings are produced in land-based facilities that are then released into ocean pens. This enables a continuity of supply to market without adding to the pressures on wild fish stocks.
Currently the feed for these farmed fish is made from trawled supplies of wild sardines – a species under no threat – but exciting developments are taking place at Australian universities to create plant-based feeds that would enable aquaculture to finally close the life and production cycles of seafood.
Here in Australia we are on the verge of truly sustainable seafood. You just have to have a little faith.
Caicucco – Livornese fish stew with garlic and salsa verde