Alternative Animal Feed Part of Global Fisheries Crisis Fix

[BurtWorm]

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091117094835.htm?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+sciencedaily+%28ScienceDaily%3A+Latest+Science+News%29



ScienceDaily (Nov. 17, 2009) — Finding alternative feed sources for chickens, pigs and other farm animals will significantly reduce pressure on the world's dwindling fisheries while contributing positively to climate change, according to University of British Columbia researchers.

"Thirty million tons -- or 36 per cent -- of the world's total fisheries catch each year is currently ground up into fishmeal and oil to feed farmed fish, chickens and pigs," says UBC fisheries researcher Daniel Pauly, co-author of the Oryx: The International Journal of Conservation article, recently published online.

"Meanwhile, 25 per cent of infants in Peru -- which produces half of the world's fishmeal using anchovies -- are malnourished," says Pauly.

In the Oryx article, nine of the world's leading fisheries and conservation researchers -- including four from UBC -- reviewed the effectiveness of past conservation campaigns and propose new strategies to effect swifter and larger-scale changes.

"Globally, pigs and chickens alone consume six times the amount of seafood as US consumers and twice that of Japan," says lead author Jennifer Jacquet, a post-doctoral fellow at UBC's Fisheries Centre. "Ultimately these farm animals have a greater impact on our seafood supplies than the most successful seafood certification program."

"We should work to eliminate the use of tasty fish for livestock production. It's a waste," says Pauly. "Plus, it is not what pigs or chickens naturally eat. When is the last time you saw a chicken fishing?"

...

[BurtWorm]

1. Beleive it or not, this is an important story.

:patriot:

[Forkboy]

2. Climate change still isn't sexy enough.

I don't think people will genuinely care until we have to scuba dive to see Miami.

K&R

[BurtWorm]

3. It looks that way.

Once upon a time, change was something people believed in. For about a month.