INTRODUCTION
Welcome to the Sustainable
Fisheries education resource!
The Sustainable Fisheries resources are designed to give pupils
aged 13-16 an introduction to the issue of overfishing, the impact of
fishing on marine ecosystems, and what changes need to be made
to ensure sustainable fisheries for the future.
Further resources and ideas can be found at:
digitalexplorer.com/sustainable-fisheries
The Sustainable Fisheries education programme has been devel-
oped with the support of nef (new economics foundation) and to
complement their Paint a Fish campaign.
Classes who have used these resources may want to take part in
this campaign by downloading a template and paint their fish to ask
European leaders to make fisheries more sustainable.
For more information and to take part, visit: paintafish.org
Header image credit: nef/Aniol Esteban
Cover image credit: nef/Aniol Esteban
About nef
nef (new economics foundation) is an independent think-and-do tank
that inspires and demonstrates real economic well-being.
We aim to improve quality of life by promoting innovative solutions
that challenge mainstream thinking on economic, environment and
social issues. We work with all sections of society in the UK and
internationally, and put people and the planet first.
nef was founded in 1986 by the leaders of The Other Economic
Summit (TOES) which forced issues such as international debt onto
the agenda of the G7 and G8 summits.
About Digital Explorer
Digital Explorer is an educational non-profit organisation, on a mis-
sion to provide a world-class global citizenship education for young
people in the UK.
We do this by creating unique collaborations between explorers,
scientists, teachers and young people, bringing the world to the
classroom like never before.
About Paint a Fish
The Paint a Fish campaign aims at engaging the younger generation
in the protection of fish stocks. Children from across the UK are en-
couraged to Paint a Fish to save our fish stocks.
All the pictures of fish will be uploaded onto a web site to build a
virtual fish stock that will call on UK and EU leaders to protect fish
stocks and end overfishing.
01
 OVERVIEW

Carp
Photo credit: nef/Aniol Esteban

This resource has been designed to give pupils studying science at A scientific study in 2006 predicted that if fishing rates continued at
Key Stage 3 and GCSE an introduction to the issue of overfishing, the present rate, all the worlds fisheries will have collapsed by the
the impact of fishing on marine ecosystems and what changes need year 2048.
to be made to ensure sustainable fisheries for the future.
This is a situation not without hope. Changes to fishing policy could
This booklet contains two lesson plans with ideas for differentiation reverse the declines in global fish stocks, but urgent education and
and a range of activity and facts sheets to support learning. action needs to happen now.
Accompanying resources including videos and slideshows are avail-
Reform needs to take place on a regional and global level. Fish have
able to download from: digitalexplorer.com/sustainable-fisheries.
the habit of not obeying national boundaries. In November 2012, the
About overfishing European Committee responsible for fisheries will meet to vote on
reforms.
The oceans are not a limitless source of food. When we take fish
from the sea, we need to be careful not to take too much. Overfish- If your class has been inspired to take action on this issue, take part
ing means to catch more fish than the natural system can replace. in the Paint a Fish campaign to put pressure on European leaders to
ensure a sustainable supply of fish for the future. For more details
In 1900 our oceans contained six times more fish than today. In see: paintafish.org.
2003, a scientific report estimated that industrial fishing had reduced
the number of large ocean predators to just 10% of their pre-
industrial population.
We have enough fishing boats for three planets, but we hardly catch
more fish than our grandparents could.
Millions of people rely on fisheries for employment. In 1993, the
North Cod Fishery in Newfoundland, Canada collapsed because of
overfishing. Approximately 40,000 jobs were lost.
A billion people rely on fish as their main source of protein.

02
 TEACHERS NOTES
These lessons offer pupils an in-depth investigation of the state of
fish stocks and the fishing industry in the UK and EU. Food and
resource management often focus on terrestrial examples and this
resource is an opportunity to include more marine issues in your
classroom.
The resources use a mix of statistics from bodies such as DEFRA,
the EU and UN. These are combined with a series of short videos
showing different stakeholder views on the state of fishing in the UK
and what can be done to stop the decline in fish stocks.
Lesson descriptions
1. Plenty more fish in the sea?
An introduction to fisheries and fish stocks, this lesson explores the
reasons behind declining fish stocks and examines how fishing has
affected the marine food web, the fishing industry and sustainability.
The lesson includes many opportunities for using statistical data in
analysing change.
2. A future for fish & chips?
A decision-making exercise examining the different points of view of
a variety of stakeholders. This lesson prompts pupils to think of how
EU fisheries policy could be reformed to make fisheries more
sustainable and ensure a future for fish and chips.
For Key Stage 3
It is difficult to create a resource that suits every class in every
school! If you have a higher ability set, then you should be able to
use most of the ideas contained in this resource. For lower ability
classes, some of the ideas contained in the Key Stage 2 resource
may be more suitable, downloadable from: digitalexplorer.com/
sustainable-fisheries.
The Key Stage 2 resource focuses on the North Atlantic food web as
well as different fishing methods and their impact on the marine
environment. This activity includes hands-on ideas ranging from
cutting up an old pair of tights to replicate a trawl net, to looking at
how to make a long line out of a piece of string and paper clips.
For GCSE
The greatest opportunities for using these resource at GCSE lie
within topics looking at environmental change, ecosystems under
threat, interdependence and sustainability. In developing these
resources we have included revision sections at the end of each
lesson. The fact sheets with enquiry questions at the back of this
booklet with can also be used as homework sheets.
Ongoing work
Keep an eye out for further stories relating to fish and fish stocks
which are in the news, and try to relate them back to the work that
you have done during the two lessons - for example this Guardian
comment article:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/georgemonbiot/2012/
sep/07/riches-seas-depleted-forgotten.
Too many fish can also be a problem. Read this article from a recent
issue of the New York Times. What are the problems caused here?:
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/29/us/in-maine-fishermen-
struggle-with-glut-of-lobsters.html
A PINTEREST board has been started for this topic. It can be viewed
here: http://pinterest.com/deupdates/sustainable-fisheries/.
Users of PINTEREST can pin images to a board. You may wish to
curate a board of images related to this topic. Students could sug-
gest images which might be pinned to your board. An account is free
to set up.
Paint a Fish
What is the Paint a Fish campaign?
The Paint a Fish campaign aims to engage the younger generations
in the protection of fish stocks. Over the next months until mid-2013
children from across the UK and other EU countries will be encour-
aged to Paint a Fish to save our fish stocks.
Why do we need to protect our fish stocks?
Our fish stocks are much smaller than they could be if we let them
grow. For too long we have fished more fish than the sea can pro-
vide. If we continue as we are, we will simply run out of fish. If we
protect our fish stocks and enable them to grow, we will soon have
replenished stocks. Protecting and managing fish stocks is important
because it allows us to support a stable fishing industry, healthy
marine ecosystems, and ensures we have fish as a food source into
the future.
Why are children asked to Paint a Fish?
During the next few months until early 2013, leaders from the Euro-
pean Union, ministers and members of the European Parliament will
re-examine the existing Common Fisheries Policy. Decisions include
whether they let fish stocks grow or not; and whether they do this
over the short or long-term. We are encouraging children across the
EU to Paint a Fish to build a big virtual stock that will ask EU lead-
ers to protect fish stocks. The more fish we collect the bigger the
stock and louder your voice will be! This will help to influence EU
leaders protect fish stocks.
03
 LESSON 1: PLENTY MORE FISH IN THE SEA?
Lesson summary
An introduction to fisheries and marine ecosystems, this lesson explores the reasons behind declining fish stocks and examines how fishing
has affected the marine food web, the fishing industry and sustainability. The lesson includes many opportunities for using statistical data in
analysing change.

Suitable for
Key Stage 3 (ages 11-14) and GCSE (ages 14-16) Science. The materials could also be used for AS/A level (ages 16-18).

Preparation
Familiarise yourself with the two short BBC Learning Zone video clips, available from:
Part 1: http://www.bbc.co.uk/learningzone/clips/why-have-fish-stocks-decreased-in-the-north-sea-pt-1-2/4687.html
Part 2: http://www.bbc.co.uk/learningzone/clips/why-have-fish-stocks-decreased-in-the-north-sea-pt-2-2/4688.html

Download Science Slideshow 1 - Plenty more fish in the sea? from: digitalexplorer.com/sustainable-fisheries

Print out enough copies of:

Activity Sheet 1 - Why have fish stocks decreased in the North Sea?
Activity Sheet 2 - Fish heads and tails
Activity Sheet 3 - Creating a marine food web
Activity Sheet 4 - Fish dependence revision (for GCSE, if using)
Fact Sheets 1-5, for use in groups

Notes

04
 LESSON 1: PLENTY MORE FISH IN THE SEA?
Lesson plan
Aims / Objectives Activities
STARTER: Read or display the introductory slideshow
A CHANGING INDUSTRY to set the scene
Show pupils the image of the fishing vessel
Complete the top section of Activity Sheet 1,
with initial thoughts on what has brought
about the depletion of fish stocks
WHY HAVE FISH STOCKS Watch the two short BBC Learning Zone
DECREASED IN THE video clips and think of the following ques-
NORTH SEA? tion:
What reasons are given for the decline
in fish stocks?
Pupils then complete the middle section of
Activity Sheet 1
Hand out Activity Sheet 2 so pupils can
match up words/phrases theyve heard in
the clips to their meanings
HOW HAS OVERFISHING Show marine food web or get pupils to cre-
AFFECTED MARINE ECO- ate their own
SYSTEMS? Recap what food web diagrams show
Split the class into groups and assign them
a different fish in the food web which has
decreased in number. They should discuss
the impact on the rest of the food web and
then feedback to the rest of the class
Class discussion about cod. The numbers of
cod have fallen sharply
- What effect will this have had on the rest of
the organisms in the food web?
PLENARY: Pupils complete the bottom box in Activity
DISCUSSION Sheet 1
Starter questions for discussion:
How healthy are fish stocks in the
seas around the EU?
What do we need to know before
deciding about what fish to buy?
What do we think now about the job of
a trawler captain that we saw at the
start of the lesson?
GCSE EXTENSION: Produce a revision resource using the fact
PRODUCING REVISION cards in Activity Sheet 4
RESOURCES Answer the exam-style questions
Resources
Slideshow Lesson 1 - Plenty more
fish in the sea?
Activity Sheet 1 - Why have fish
stocks decreased in the North Sea?
Activity Sheet 1 - Why have fish
stocks decreased in the North Sea?
Activity Sheet 2 - Fish heads and
from a specific area
tails
BBC Learning Zone video clips (links
on previous page)
Slideshow Lesson 1 - Plenty more
fish in the sea? - slides 11-12
Activity Sheet 3 - Creating a marine
food web:
- Show the complete food web, in
slideshow or on paper (enlarge to A3
so pupils can annotate) or:
- Hand out the sheet of cards for
pupils to create their own food web
Fact Sheets 1-5 for group work and
class discussion
Activity Sheet 1
Activity Sheet 4
Activity Sheets/Fact Sheets to refer to
Outcomes
Pupils are introduced to the
topic and what they will be
investigating
Pupils share their existing
knowledge on why fish stocks
are decreasing
Pupils understand the key
words and issues relating to
the depletion of fish stocks
Understand how changing
populations within a marine
ecosystem can affect the rest
of the food web
Examine what further impacts
this could have on the whole
marine habitat as well as
humans
Understand the issues and
impacts associated with over-
fishing from different perspec-
tives or viewpoints
Consolidate knowledge of
new issues and perspectives
Understand that stakeholders
have different priorities
Understand what species are
particularly at risk, and what
fishing methods are most
unsustainable
Develop as informed consum-
ers
Be able to produce informa-
tive, structured answers
suited to GCSE exams
05
 LESSON 2: A FUTURE FOR FISH & CHIPS?
Lesson summary
A decision-making exercise, examining the different points of view of stakeholders and a way forward for the EU Common Fisheries Policy.

Suitable for
Key Stage 3 (ages 11-14) and GCSE (ages 14-16) Science. The materials could also be used for AS/A level (ages 16-18).

Preparation
Familiarise yourself with the six short video interviews, available to view and download from:
digitalexplorer.com/sustainable-fisheries
Download Science Slideshow 2 - A future for fish and chips? from: digitalexplorer.com/sustainable-fisheries

Print out enough copies of:

Activity Sheet 5 - Changes and impacts
Activity Sheet 6 - Actions we could take (enlarge the scale sheet to A3 if possible). Alternatively you can use an IWB or online tool
such as Tripticos movable word magnets
Activity Sheet 7 - Class charter
Activity Sheet 4 - Fish dependence revision (for GCSE, if using)
Activity Sheet 8 - Ocean ecosystem sustainability revision (for GCSE, if using)

Notes

06
 LESSON 2: A FUTURE FOR FISH & CHIPS?
Lesson plan
Aims / Objectives Activities
STARTER: Show the image of chips in the slideshow
WHATS MISSING? Ask pupils to give 6 reasons why fish might
be missing from the meal, referring to the
work done in Lesson 1
Use slide 4 to ask pupils what is meant by
sustainability - remind students that we
must assess social and environmental
impacts as well as economic
REALISTIC ACTION Hand out Activity Sheet 5 of statements
and a scale. Using the outcomes of the last
activity, decide in groups or as a class
where to fit each statement according to
scale and effectiveness
SHARING DIFFERENT PER- Show the 6 short video clips from people
SPECTIVES involved in the fishing industry: fisherman,
scientist, policy maker, supermarket buyer,
trawler captain and fish shop owner
Ask the class to keep in mind what
changes could be made to ensure that fish
& chips is still a national dish in 2050
PROPOSING POLICY Introduce the concepts of maximum sus-
CHANGES tainable yield and fishing quotas using the
Fact Sheets
Split the class into groups and hand out
Activity Sheet 6
Pupils discuss proposed changes they
would make, keeping in mind the role of
scientists and what theyve just learnt, and
decide if each stakeholder would agree,
disagree or be unaffected by their pro-
posed changes, and summarise why
PLENARY: Return to slide 4 of the slideshow
DISCUSSION Identify a set of changes the class agree on
and write up a charter using Activity Sheet
7 Produce shared ideas and
GCSE EXTENSION: Produce a revision resource using the
PRODUCING REVISION blank fact cards in Activity Sheet 8, and
RESOURCES Activity Sheet 4
Answer the exam-style questions
Resources
Slideshow Lesson 2 - A future for
fish and chips?
Activity Sheet 5 - Actions we could
take. Enlarge the scale sheet to A3 if
possible
6 short video clips of stakeholders,
available to view or download from:
digitalexplorer.com/sustainable-
fisheries
Use any Fact Sheets if appropriate
Fact Sheet 6 - EU quotas vs. scien-
tific advice
Fact Sheet 7 - MSY
Activity Sheet 6 - Changes and im-
pacts
Slideshow Lesson 2 - A future for
fish and chips? slides 4-5
Activity Sheet 7 - Class charter
Activity Sheet 8 - Ocean ecosystem
sustainability revision
Activity Sheet 4/Fact Sheets to refer
to
Outcomes
Pupils recap their knowledge
from Lesson 1
Recap knowledge of sustain-
ability
Understand the involvement
of science and research in
policy making
Ability to decide priorities
Understanding of different
perspectives of the same
issue
Understand the involvement
of science and research in
policy making
Demonstrate understanding
of and empathy for different
points of view
Ability to distinguish between
short, medium and long-term
Demonstrate knowledge and
understanding of sustainabil-
ity and overfishing issues
way forward for future
Be able to produce informa-
tive, structured answers
suited to GCSE exams
07
ACTIVITY SHEET 1
Why have fish stocks decreased in
the North Sea?

Initial ideas

Now watch the two videos -

refer to your earlier
answers as you watch them

How have your ideas

changed? Cross out any
from the list above that you
no longer agree with, or
change the wording. Add
any new ideas on the left

Have any of your ideas

changed? How?

08
 ACTIVITY SHEET 2
Fish heads and tails
Match up the words or phrases to their meanings, and use this sheet
to help you in the next activity.

Unwanted fish and animals accidentally caught in fishing

FISHERY gear and thrown overboard dead or dying

The production of freshwater or saltwater fish species

FISH STOCKS under controlled conditions e.g. fish farming on the NW
coast of Scotland

A shorthand way of referring to the 27 member states of

BIOLOGICAL LIMITS the European Union. For more info go to: bit.ly/Nls4XE

Catching fish using boats of various sizes, ranging from

QUOTA
small lobster boats to huge industrial factory ships

A level beyond which fish stocks are declining

AQUACULTURE (overfished) as they are caught at a faster rate than they
can be restocked naturally

Catching fish at a faster rate than they can be naturally

MARINE CAPTURE replaced. Often the result of fishing methods, or the
numbers of boats operating in an area

The total amount of living fish (biomass) that is esti-

mated to exist within a particular area of the sea. Usually
BYCATCH measured for its commercial potential i.e. is it worth
catching?

An area of sea which has a defined area, and within

EU27 which fishing boats will operate

An allocation of fish that a boat can catch in total, with

OVERFISHING particular amounts per species

09
 ACTIVITY SHEET 3
Creating a marine food web
Use the following fact cards to create a marine food chain or web of
who eats who in the Atlantic ocean and around the UK.

ATLANTIC SALMON SHRIMP HUMAN

PREY: Crustaceans, insects, PREY: Zooplankton PREY: Fish, crustaceans, shrimp,

small fish squid

SEAL COD SQUID

PREY: Large fish PREY: Zooplankton, small fish PREY: Crustaceans

PHYTOPLANKTON / ALGAE SHARK HERRING

Gets energy from the sun PREY: Fish, squid PREY: Zooplankton

CRUSTACEAN (CRAB) ZOOPLANKTON (COPEPOD) TUNA

PREY: Phytoplankton, mussels Eats phytoplankton PREY: Small fish

Photo credits: Algae, copepod, squid - NOAA; crab, shrimp - Hans Hillewaert; cod - Patrick Gijsbers; herring - Uwe Kils; salmon - Hans Petter Fjeld; human
(Billingsgate Market, London) - Jorge Royan; seal - Andreas Trepte; shark - NMFS; tuna - OCEAN2012.

10
 ACTIVITY SHEET 3 continued
Creating a marine food web
A food web of who eats who in the Atlantic ocean and around the UK.

HUMAN
SHARK

SEAL

TUNA ATLANTIC SALMON COD

SQUID

CRUSTACEAN (CRAB)

SHRIMP HERRING

ZOOPLANKTON (COPEPOD)

PHYTOPLANKTON / ALGAE

11
 ACTIVITY SHEET 4
Fish dependence revision
Use the facts that were collected during this lesson to produce a
revision resource. A series of fact cards are included below, which
are taken from information contained within the nef Fish Depend-
ence Update 2012.
Use them to produce a revision resource which would enable you to
answer the following exam-style questions.
EU fish stocks are in an unprecedentedly poor state yet fish con-
sumption remains high.
Aquacultures potential to fill the gap in supply may be limited due to
some environmental impacts. These include the introduction of alien
species, environmental impacts from escaped genetically modified
fish, pollution and antibiotic use.
Aquaculture (fish farming) is a growing enterprise in EU countries
that has served to marginally offset the overexploitation of EU fish
stocks but has not itself been responsible for reversing the trend of
increasing fish dependence.
The reform of the EUs Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) offers a
perfect opportunity to put the structures in place to turn the problem
of overfishing around.
IUU (Illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing) will also be having
an impact on fish stocks.
On average, each European citizen consumes 22.1 kg of seafood
products per year (as of 2007),which is 29.2 percent above the an-
nual global average of 17.1 kg per capita.
The EU is the worlds largest market for fish and has become in-
creasingly reliant on imports to meet its needs.
EU waters are potentially rich and productive seas capable of deliv-
ering a long-term and stable supply of fish, together with jobs and
other benefits for coastal communities. But years of poor fisheries
management and over-exploitation have reduced the size of fish
stocks and the biocapacity of its waters.
The amount of effort and fuel needed to land one tonne of fish is
higher than it needs to be, and higher than it would be if stocks were
at a sustainable level. It is estimated that UK trawlers invest 17 times
more effort than they did 118 years ago to land an equivalent catch.
Source: Fish Dependence Update 2012, nef: http://www.neweconomics.org/publications/fish-dependence-2012-update
12
Questions
1. What is meant by the term overfishing, and what impact does
it have on fish stocks?
2. Why are fishing quotas introduced, and what are some of the
intended and unintended consequences of their use?
3. How sustainable are EU fish stocks and what are the implica-
tions of not taking care of marine ecosystems?
The EU has managed to maintain high levels of consumption by
sourcing fish from other regions of the world.
Restoring 43 fish stocks (out of more than 150 EU stocks) to their
maximum sustainable yield would increase the EUs self-sufficiency
levels by more than two months (69 days), moving its fish depend-
ence day to 14 September.
The EUs increasing fish dependence has implications for the sus-
tainability of fish stocks globally, which are also overfished, and for
the communities that depend on them.
Fisheries play a pivotal role in human health and wellbeing: fish are
crucial to the global food supply, providing one-fifth of animal protein
consumption worldwide.
72 per cent of EU-assessed stocks are estimated to be overex-
ploited and more than 20 per cent beyond safe biological limits.
Due to its heavily overexploited fish stocks, the EU has increased its
fish consumption by sourcing more fish from abroad. Fish is caught
by the EUs distant-water fleet, which operates in other countries
and international waters; it is also, increasingly, imported.
For the EU as a whole, fish dependence day is now 6 July, indicat-
ing that almost one-half of fish consumed in the EU is sourced from
non-EU waters.
Consumption within sustainable limits is an important component of
any positive trade. The EU, for the sake of its own food security,
employment, and ecological health, must replenish its own fish
stocks, with any excess demand being satisfied by well-regulated
and mutually beneficial trade with developing countries.
If we are to get the current reform of the Common Fisheries Policy
(CFP) right, the EU needs to champion the goals of sustainable
fishing inside and outside the EU, end destructive fishing practices,
and deliver fair and equitable use of healthy fish stocks.
 ACTIVITY SHEET 5
Actions we could take
Cut out the following statements and discuss where to place them on
the scale, according to how many people they will impact and how
much of a difference they will make.
Add your own if you think of extras.

Stop eating overfished species such as cod and haddock Develop a more effective International Fishing police
and buy sardines, herring and dabs instead. force which can stop any illegal, unregulated fishing.

Stop eating fish. Increase the price of fish substantially.

Introduce more no catch zones in areas of the ocean Provide financial support to the aquaculture industry to
that are known to have vulnerable fish stocks. encourage greater production.

As most fishing boats are smaller than 10m in length, Ban some of the methods which result in the largest lev-
more of the available quota should go to these boats. els of bycatch such as long-lining and purse-seining.

Pay fishing boat owners to stay ashore or to diversify into Place limits on imports and exports of fish, so that coun-
other roles e.g. offshore wind farm support rather than tries are encouraged to rely on their own fish stocks and
catch fish. not impact on those of other countries - i.e. we eat only
what weve got

Allow all fish that is caught by a vessel to be landed with- Change the design of the nets that are used by trawlers,
out a fine (but no personal gain) to avoid the waste of so they catch more of the desired species and less by-
bycatch. catch.

13
14
Individual/family Community National EU-wide Global

Scale
Makes
a small
difference
ACTIVITY SHEET 5 continued

Makes
a big
difference
 ACTIVITY SHEET 6
Changes and impacts
Consider the opinions of the six stakeholders that you have just seen 1. For each change, write a few sentences about how you think
in the videos, and propose three changes below to improve the sus- each stakeholder would be impacted.
tainability of the industry. 2. Then decide if each stakeholder would agree (A), disagree
(D) or be unaffected (U) by your proposed changes, and
circle the appropriate letter.

Proposed Change 1:

Impact on different stakeholders:

Policy maker Fisherman Food Scientist Shop owner Fishing

manufacturer industry

A D U A D U A D U A D U A D U A D U

Proposed Change 2:

Impact on different stakeholders:

Policy maker Fisherman Food Scientist Shop owner Fishing

manufacturer industry

A D U A D U A D U A D U A D U A D U

Proposed Change 3:

Impact on different stakeholders:

Policy maker Fisherman Food Scientist Shop owner Fishing

manufacturer industry

A D U A D U A D U A D U A D U A D U

15
ACTIVITY SHEET 7
Class charter

In order to maintain the sanctity of fish and chips as a national

British dish in 2050, we,
class ______ ,
from [school] ___________________________ ,
suggest the following:

16
 ACTIVITY SHEET 8
Ocean ecosystem
sustainability revision
Use the facts that were collected during this lesson to create your Questions
own fact cards below. Use these cards and the series of cards from
1. How and why are some marine ecosystems on the edge of
the last lesson to produce a revision resource which would enable
destruction?
you to answer the following exam-style questions.
2. What is the role of science in helping to make our use of the
oceans more sustainable?
3. To what extent are all members of the EU27 responsible for
healthy and sustainable marine ecosystems?

17
 FACT SHEET 1
Atlantic salmon

Image credit: NOAA

Atlantic Salmon are native to the North Atlantic (there are three general types: North American, European and
Location
Baltic).
As young: caddisflies, blackflies, mayflies and stoneflies.
Diet As adults: the fish feed on much larger food - Arctic squid, sand eels, amphipods, crustaceans, Arctic shrimp
and smaller fish like herring, cod and mackerel.

Big fish e.g. large trout, cod, skate and halibut eat the young; seals, sharks and humans (including birds during
Predators
spawning like the bald eagle and belt kingfisher).

Killer whale
Seal
Humans Harbour porpoise
Salmon
Food web example
Small fish (herring)

Zooplankton

Phytoplankton

Atlantic salmon are capable of breeding multiple times and tend to favour the same breeding spots year after
year. Atlantic salmon breed in the rivers of Western Europe from northern Portugal and north to Noway, Ice-
land, and Greenland, as well as the east coast of North America from Connecticut in the United States north to
Breeding
northern Labrador and Arctic Canada.
Females tend to lay 7, 500 eggs of which only 7-20% may survive.

Newly-hatched salmon (alevins) have a food-sac

The female lays thousands of eggs in a nest on the attached to them while they remain in the nest.
stream bed. The eggs are fertilised by the male.

Camouflaged fry (parr) leave the nest to find food.

Life cycle When mature, the adult returns to its birthplace to spawn.

The salmon grow and mature in the ocean, with some Silver-coloured smolt swim downstream and undergo
migrating huge distances. smoltification, a process of body changes which will
allow them to live in the sea.

Interesting fact They are anadramous, meaning that they are able to live in both salt and fresh water.

18
 FACT SHEET 2
Atlantic cod

Image credit: NOAA

Atlantic cod are native to the North Atlantic waters (living in colder and deeper regions). Although they may
Location move between warmer and cooler waters or when an area becomes overcrowded, they are not migratory fish
and tend to stay within a limited area.
Small bottom-dwelling cod feed mainly upon small crustaceans such as shrimp and amphipods (small marine
snails). Adults are voracious eaters however and will eat just about anything including shoes and jewellery.
Diet Their preferred diet though consists of clams, cockles, mussels and other molluscs, as well as crabs, lobsters
and sea urchins. They can also follow and feed on schools of fish such as herring, mackerel, and young had-
dock.

Predators Seal, big fish, polar bears, Arctic birds, bears and humans

Killer whale

Polar bear Harbour seal

Capelin
Arctic bird
Food web example
Arctic char
Cod
Humans
Zooplankton

Phytoplankton

The female cod lays eggs in inshore waters during the winter. The amount of eggs laid links to her size, for
example a 4 inch fish could lay 3 million eggs while a 50 inch female could lay 9 million.
Breeding Around the UK, the major spawning grounds are in the middle to southern North Sea, the start of the Bristol
Channel (north of Newquay), the Irish Channel (both east and west of the Isle of Man), around Stornoway, and
east of Helmsdale on the Scottish east coast.

Eggs drift with ocean currents and hatch between 8-23 days,
The female lays millions of eggs in batches in inshore feeding from an attached yolk-sac until used up.
waters. The eggs are fertilised by the male.

The larvae begin feeding off plankton.

Life cycle Courtship rituals such as swimming in circles lead to spawning.

The cod grow and are fully mature after 3-5 years, After 35-40 days, they become recognisable as fish
remaining in the same area for the duration of their life. and begin feeding off small crustaceans such as
crabs.

Interesting fact They can grow to 5 to 6 feet long and live for up to 30 years.

19
 FACT SHEET 3
Overfishing facts

Atlantic bluefin tuna, endangered on the

IUCN Red List in 2012
Photo credit: OCEAN2012

The oceans are not a limitless source of food. When we take fish
from the sea, we need to be careful not to take too much. Overfish-
ing means to catch more fish than the natural system can replace.
In 1900 our oceans contained six times more fish than today.
We have enough fishing boats for three planets, but we hardly catch
more fish than our grandparents could.
In 2003, a scientific report estimated that industrial fishing had
reduced the number of large ocean predators to just 10% of their
pre-industrial population.
Millions of people rely on fisheries for employment. In 1993, the
North Cod Fishery in Newfoundland, Canada collapsed because of
overfishing. Approximately 40,000 jobs were lost.
A billion people rely on fish as their main source of protein.
A study in 20061 predicted that if fishing rates continued at the pre-
sent rate, all the worlds fisheries will have collapsed by the year Graph 2: Global biomass trends for predatory fish during 1910-2010
2048. (source: Villy Christensen et al., 2011. Fish biomass in the world ocean: A
century of decline, Fisheries Centre Working Paper #2011-06, Vol. 2011
The consequences of overfishing are shown in the graph below. The
No. 6)
global biomass (total weight) of large predatory fish such as tuna,
swordfish and cod has fallen by two thirds over the past century. Questions
1 Impact of Biodiversity Loss on Ocean Ecosystem Services, Worm et al.,
What overall trends are shown in the two graphs?
Science November 2006
What do you think are the causes for the changes you have
described above?
What problems might overfishing cause?
20
 FACT SHEET 4
Methods of fishing in the UK
There are six main ways that fishermen catch fish in the UK. Some - Dredging (active)
methods are active (when you go to the fish) and others are
Dredging involves dragging a heavy metal frame along the sea floor.
passive (when the fish come to you). The table below shows how
It is mainly used to catch shellfish living in the sand or mud such as
many fish each method uses and the value of this catch. Below is
scallops, clams and oysters.
more information on each of these methods.
Dredging can damage the sea floor by scraping the bottom and
Method of fishing Quantity (tonnes) Value ( millions) destroying other forms of marine life that live there.

Trawling & Seining 448,100 566.1 - Lines and hooks (active or passive)
Using lines and hooks is a scaled up version of the fishing that peo-
Beam trawl 20,000 48.5
ple may do for fun by canals, rivers and on the coast. For commer-
Dredging 59,100 63.6 cial fishing in the UK, lines with baited hooks can be operated by
hand or mechanically, to catch species such as tuna, mackerel and
Drift and fixed nets 13,600 32.3 seabass.
Lines and hooks are mainly used by smaller inshore vessels and
Lines and hooks 8,800 17.8
have less environmental impact than other methods.
Pots and traps 48,600 96.2 - Drift and fixed nets (passive)
Other 1,500 3.7 These are long nets that are either fixed in position or drift with the
ocean currents. The weighted nets are dropped down from a series
TOTAL 599,600 828.2 of floats like curtains. The netting is almost invisible to fish, so they
Table: Fish landed by UK fishing vessels in 2011 (source: MMO) swim right into it and get caught.
Drift and fixed nets are used to catch fish such as salmon, monkfish
- Trawling and seining (active) and tuna. They often catch other fish and marine animals uninten-
There are many different shapes and sizes of nets pulled behind tionally.
fishing vessels. Large nets shaped like funnels are pulled behind - Pots and traps (passive)
one or two (pair trawling) boats to catch fish like cod, mackerel and
herring. The largest trawl nets are big enough to fit 13 jumbo jets. Pots and traps are put down on the sea bed with bait inside to catch
Seining uses a large net, that is pulled around a shoal of fish and species such as lobster, crab and octopus. They are used on both
then pulled tight to catch all the fish in a single area, such as tuna or large and small fishing vessels. When used on larger vessels, there
sardines. is usually a holding tank on board to keep the catch fresh whilst out
at sea.
Both methods take all the fish in one area, even the ones that the
fishermen dont want to catch. The unwanted fish, called bycatch, Smaller animals can normally escape making this one of the more
are thrown back into the sea, often dead. Shrimp trawls in particular sustainable forms of fishing.
have very high rates of bycatch. For images and further information, visit: goodcatch.org.uk
- Beam trawl (active)
Questions
This is a type of trawling that uses a large metal beam to keep the
mouth of the net open. This beam can be as long as 12 metres (the What are the impacts of different fishing methods?
length of a double-decker bus). Which methods of fishing do you think are more sustainable?
Beam trawls can be fitted with chains to disturb fish that live near or Why?
on the sea floor, to catch flatfish, such as plaice and sole, and
shrimps. When they are pulled across the sea, the beam and the Do you think that any fishing methods should be banned by
chains can damage the sea floor. the EU?

21
 FACT SHEET 5
UK and EU catches
In the past decade the overall fish catch in the EU has fallen from The graph below shows the declining catch of a specific species and
8,187,779 tonnes in 2000 to 6,367,526 tonnes in 2009, a decline of area: cod in the North Sea. It shows an example of an over-
22.2%. exploited EU fish stock. The top line shows the total stock biomass,
which is the estimated weight of all the cod in this area of the North
In the UK the decline has not been as sharp, with a decrease from
Sea. The lower line shows the total estimated weight of landings,
900,136 tonnes in 2000 to 782,925 tonnes in 2009, representing a
which is the weight of fish caught.
13.0% decrease in overall catch.

9,000

8,000

7,000

6,000

5,000

4,000

3,000

2,000

1,000
Graph 2: North Sea cod biomass and landings by all countries 19632010
- (source: see reference below)
2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

Denmark Spain France Questions

United Kingdom Netherlands Italy
How has the amount of fish caught in the UK and EU
Sweden Ireland Germany
changed?
Poland EU27
How has the stock of cod in the North Sea changed since
Graph 1: EU fisheries production (000 tonnes) top 10 countries: 2000- 1963?
2009 (source: Eurostat)
How has the stock of cod in the North Sea changed since
2005?
What do you think are the causes for the changes you have
described above?

Graph 2: Source: R. Crilly, A. Esteban, 2012. Small versus large-scale,

multi-fleet fisheries: The case for economic, social and environmental
access criteria in European fisheries, Marine Policy, Available online 4
June 2012, ISSN 0308-597X, 10.1016/j.marpol.2012.04.018.

22
 FACT SHEET 6
EU quotas vs. scientific advice
A quota is an allocation of fish that a boat can catch. Each fishing
boat is given a quota for different species of fish.
Quotas are set by the EU by country and can be changed, taking
into account:
the size of remaining fish stocks
consumer demand (how much fish people are buying)
market value (the price the fisherman gets paid for his catch)
Scientists advise the EU on the population of fish stocks so the size
of the quota can be set for each type of fish.

Outside safe biological limits Inside safe biological limits % of stocks of known status

35 50

45
30
40
25
% stocks of known status

35
Number of fish stocks

30
20
25
15
20

10 15

10
5
5

0 0
2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012

Graph: Scientific advice about the state of EU fish stocks (source: Eurostat)

Scientists use the term safe biological limits to describe whether Questions
fish stocks are being overfished. A stock that is being fished outside
safe biological limits will decline over time. A stock being fished in- Since 2003, have fish stocks been exploited sustainably?
side safe biological limits is likely to keep on renewing itself. Has this trend changed in recent years?
Do we know more or less about the status of stocks com-
pared to 2003?
Do you think that more money should be invested in the
scientific research of European fish stocks? Why?
Are fish quotas in the EU being set at safe biological limits
according to scientists?

23
 FACT SHEET 7
MSY
MSY stands for maximum sustainable yield. This is the optimum Questions
level at which you can catch fish and the population can continue to
What do you understand by the term maximum sustainable
regenerate by reproducing.
yield?
When a fish stock is overfished, there is not enough time for it to
recover and we could end up with no more fish in the sea. Why is it an important concept?

The problem with fisheries in European waters is that many of them Do you think 10.4 billion should be invested to adopt the
are overfished. Of 54 North East Atlantic fish stocks studied by nef transition to MSY?
(new economics foundation) for a report in September 2012, 49 are Who do you think would be for and against a transition to
overfished. MSY?
Halting overfishing would allow fish stocks to recover, but such a
proposal would need to overcome short-term costs to fishing reve-
nues and unemployment.
The size of the investment needed would be 10.4 billion over 9
years. This would go towards compensation for fishermen who
would not be able to fish.
The graphs below show the estimated difference that a transition to
MSY would make.

Graph: Change in fish supply by adopting MSY (source: nef)

Graph: Change in value of fisheries by adopting MSY (source: nef)

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 FACT SHEET 8
UK fish imports/exports
The UK and the EU exports (sends abroad) fish of various types, and
also imports (brings in) fish of different types, that cannot be caught
in nearby waters. This often means that fish have travelled a very
long way to end up on your plate.

Cod
Haddock
Herring
Mackerel
Salmon
Tuna
Crabs
Mussels
Shrimps and Prawns

0 20 40 60 80 100 120
Quantity ('000 tonnes)

Exports Imports

Graph 1: UK exports and imports by key species: 2010 (source: MMO)

Exports from the UK by importing Imports to the UK by exporting

country country

Belgium Seychelles
U.A.E. Canada
Denmark Ghana
Poland Sweden
China Ireland
Italy Vietnam
Portugal Netherlands
Germany Mauritius
Ireland Faeroe Islands
U.S.A. Thailand
Nigeria Germany
Spain Norway
Russia China
Netherlands Denmark
France Iceland
0 50 100 0 50 100
Quantity ('000 tonnes) Quantity ('000 tonnes)

Graph 2: UK exports and imports by country: 2010 (source: MMO/HMRC)

Questions
What types of fish does the UK import?
What types of fish does the UK export?
Which countries import the most fish to the UK?
Which countries receive the most exports from the UK?
How is the UK involved in the global trade of fish?

25
 FACT SHEET 9
Fish dependence day
The UK and the EU have to import more and more fish from other Questions
countries, as there arent enough fish left in the waters around us to
If people in the UK were to consume fish caught only in UK
feed our demand. To illustrate this, nef (new economics foundation)
waters from January 1st, what day would we run out of fish?
has developed a Fish Dependence Day calendar for all EU coun-
tries. Is it right for European countries to import fish from the rest
of the world?
If the EU were only to consume fish from its own waters from Janu-
ary 1st, it would run out of fish on July 6th, making it wholly depend- What alternatives might be available to people living in
ent on fish from elsewhere from July 7th. Europe?
Why is the role of fish dependence important?

Source: Fish Dependence Update 2012, nef: http://www.neweconomics.org/publications/fish-dependence-2012-update

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 FACT SHEET 10
UK fishing vessel sizes
Smaller boats catch fewer fish, whereas vessels with more storage Questions
capacity or power to travel further from shore are able to catch more
What impact do you think the power and size of a fishing
fish.
vessel has on fish stocks?
Almost four fifths of the UK fleet is made up of vessels of 10 metres
What types of fishing vessels are used in the UK?
and under in length. England has more smaller boats capable of
covering inshore waters, whereas Scotland and Northern Ireland What are the economic benefits of fishing with larger
have bigger and more powerful vessels which are able to cover vessels?
more distant fishing grounds.
Do you think that smaller vessels (under 10 metres in length)
The majority of the fish quotas are allocated to vessels over 10 should be allocated greater quotas? Why?
metres in length.

3,000

2,500

2,000

1,500 Over 10 metres

Under 10 metres
1,000

500

-
England Wales Scotland Northern Ireland Islands & Other

Graph 1: Number of vessels in the UK fishing fleet by country: 2011 (source: MMO)

140,000 450,000
120,000 400,000
350,000
100,000
Gross tonnage

300,000
Power (kW)

80,000 250,000
200,000 Gross tonnage
60,000
150,000 kW
40,000
100,000
20,000 50,000
- -
England Wales Scotland Northern Islands &
Ireland Other

Graph 2: Power and size (gross tonnage) of the UK fishing fleet by country: 2011 (source: MMO)

27
 FACT SHEET 11
Further resources
Documents/further information Documentaries/TV programmes
new economics foundation End of the Line
http://www.neweconomics.org/ http://endoftheline.com/
Applied research for economic well-being, combining social and A full-on look at why and how the ocean is being overfished
environmental issues for innovative solutions and policy debate
Hughs Fish Fight (Channel 4)
OCEAN2012 http://www.fishfight.net/
http://ocean2012.eu/ Campaign to reduce bycatch, amend policy and encourage con-
A coalition to transform European fisheries to end overfishing and sumption of less endangered seafood, led by chef High Fearnley-
destructive fishing practices, and ensure sustainable and healthy fish Whittingstall
stocks. Watch the short video on ending overfishing:
http://youtu.be/F6nwZUkBeas The Fishermans Apprentice (BBC2)
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01d276r
Marine Management Organisation Marine biologist Monty Halls investigates the industry and livelihoods
http://www.marinemanagement.org.uk/ of small-boat fishing in the UK, by living and working as a fisherman
Includes info on all UK fish landings, regulations and licences for a year

UN Fisheries & Aquaculture Organisation documents

http://www.fao.org/docrep/016/i2727e/i2727e00.htm Conservation
UK National Ecosystem Assessment International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN)
http://uknea.unep-wcmc.org/ http://www.iucnredlist.org/
DEFRA Fisheries Internationally recognised list of threatened species, including fish
http://www.defra.gov.uk/food-farm/fisheries/ and shellfish

Marine & Fisheries Ministry (Scotland) Marine Protected Areas in the UK

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/marine/ http://www.ukmpas.org/
Seafood Scotland Information on the zones of protected seas around the UK including
http://www.seafoodscotland.org/ all locations
Working to develop a sustainable Scottish seafood industry, includ- Marine Conservation Society
ing catch info, fishing practices in detail, plus recipes. http://www.mcsuk.org/
Eye Over Fishing
http://www.eyeoverfishing.org/
Responsible consumption
An animated, interactive resource on UK fishing, including ocean
ecosystems, fisheries and policy. It shows data and processes, and Marine Stewardship Council
illustrates the routes and roles we all can take to working towards a http://www.msc.org/
replenished ocean. Suitable as a further research/independent re- International certification for sustainable seafood, including a guide
source for Key Stage 3, GCSE and AS/A level on all tinned and packaged seafood sold in the UK:
http://www.msc.org/where-to-buy/product-finder/product_search?
Good Catch country=GB
http://www.goodcatch.org.uk/start-improving/gather-information/
fishing-methods/ Fish2Fork
http://www.fish2fork.com/
A summary of different fishing methods with images
Restaurant guide for sustainable seafood eateries around the UK

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