Health benefits triggering decline in global fish supply?

British scientists have highlighted the gap between declining fish supplies and global guidelines recommending more seafood for better overall health.

While the health benefits of eating fish have become better appreciated in recent years, many wild fish stocks continue to be over fished.

"Many aquaculture operations inflict heavy environmental costs on wild fish stocks and coastal ecosystems such as habitat loss, pollution, disease and pests. To be viable in the long-term and help feed the world, there has to be a Blue Revolution in fish farming. Better management of wild fisheries could also boost production while helping heal damage to ocean life," said professor Callum Roberts from the University of York.

Analysing data of over 124 years of fisheries landings records, the study found that British domestic fishery landings have fallen to their lowest point in over 70 years.

In terms of fish available per person, supplies have been in decline for over 40 years, falling by nearly a third.

Only rapid growth in fish farming has shielded consumers from the consequences of overfishing and human population increase as half of our seafood now comes from farms, noted the team.

There is a serious disconnect between healthy eating recommendations and the finite capacity of wild fish stocks to meet those aspirations, researchers noted.

"These findings are a wake-up call to the British government that our national health aspirations have to be considered on a global stage and that we need to think carefully about the implications of promoting greater fish consumption in a world where many people are already protein deficient," professor Roberts concluded.

The study appeared in the journal Marine Pollution Bulletin.