The scientific journal, Nature Communications, recently published a study detailing the shocking state of fish populations worldwide. According to the data the study have gathered, 32 billion kilograms of fish were caught every year that were not reported to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Despite the whopping number of unreported fish, global catch rates have dipped three times faster than what was previously estimated. In general, the fishing industry is having a tough time finding healthy schools of fish to harvest and according to scientists this is a cause for concern.
"The result of this is a systematic underestimation of the catch. The catch of the world is higher than reported, which would seem to be a good thing but it also reveals that the catch is declining faster" explained Daniel Pauly from the university of British Columbia.
Pauly was also quick to clarify that the decline is not a result of the restrictions imposed on certain fish. According to the scientist, the dilemma is due to overfishing. He further explains that a better gauge of the total number of fish harvested every year would ensure that the species would not be soon wiped out completely.
"The world is withdrawing from a joint bank account of fish without knowing what has been withdrawn or the remaining balance. Better estimates for the amount we're taking out can help ensure there is enough fish to sustain us in the future." said Pauly.
The scientist however remains optimistic about the situation. According to him, the fact that the catch is more than what was initially thought is a clear indication that the industry is able to rebuild the population of fish. He explains that it is all a matter of developing a plan with definite steps in order to preserve this important resource.