DAVID HELVARG
Helvarg is president of the Blue Frontier Campaign and author of the book Fifty Ways to Save the Ocean. He said today: “The new study in Science magazine that asserts we could run out of edible fish in the world’s ocean by 2048 is based on our continuing business as usual. But there are alternative ways to turn the tide, to protect, restore and sustainably use these resources.

“We can use existing tools to promote sustainable fishing and reduce coastal pollution and loss of habitat that also contribute to the collapse of marine wildlife. There are a suite of management tools including buy-backs of boats where fleets are too large and the establishment of wilderness parks in the sea that protect both fish and their habitat. (Scientists suggest 20 percent of the ocean be set aside as ‘no take’ zones. At present there is far less than 1 percent fully protected.) Also we need to enforce the marine protections we establish. We also have to reduce coastal sprawl and change our patterns of pollution that create oxygen-starved dead zones in our coastal seas. It’s all possible if people, who get so much from the ocean, decide that they’re willing to give something back.”
More Information

For more information, contact at the Institute for Public Accuracy:
Sam Husseini, (202) 347-0020; or David Zupan, (541) 484-9167