Is there anything we can do as consumers to promote ethical fishing practices?
For example, there are certifications and accreditations fisheries can obtain to prove that eco-friendly methods are used.
For example, there are certifications and accreditations fisheries can obtain to prove that eco-friendly methods are used.
There are some folks who think by catch (a very destructive externality from ocean floor trawling) has an impact on this fishery but unfortunately that's more of a guess. The science certainly shows that the temperature anomaly literally preempts reproduction. So heat waves eviscerated an entire generation, perhaps multiple generations.
So can you affect the temperature of the ocean? Not anymore than you can stop global warming. Even if you did everything to become carbon negative, it's gonna be getting warmer before it gets back to normal temperatures.
But stopping eating seafood would be a good start. Lowering demand for them means that they have a chance of surviving through to a time when climate change could be reigned in, maybe in several decades.
Expanding insect production for animal feed would be significant progress.
https://www.seafoodwatch.org/recommendations/download-consum...
Why do you think that?
https://www.vox.com/22429551/climate-change-crisis-exxonmobi...
It's not inconsistent to boycott destructive products as an individual, but political pressure should focus on flat out banning destructive business practices. The electoral system failed to prevent another oil-drilling president from entering office, but it's still possible his administration will be successfully sued in court under USA's (admittedly weak looking) version of Duty of Care laws. The TLDR is that ~some democracies have it baked into the constitution that the government must act in the interests of the citizens, and are getting successfully sued in court to do so, despite regulatory capture and corrupt politicians.
You can attack emissions by limiting supply (stopping new oil drilling projects) or by limiting demand (flying less / driving less etc.). Both should work, since supply and demand are generally balanced. Reducing supply without reducing demand (what you seem to be proposing) will lead to massive price increases and energy poverty. This is confirmed by the energy crisis in Europe this winter, which was the result of a sudden decrease in supply. Reducing demand without reducing supply will lead to massive price decreases, which should increase demand from those that are less worried about climate change.
The transition to renewables can only be done by reducing both supply (less oil drilling) and demand (consumers and industry). I don't see how advocating for flying less, eating less meat, buying heat pumps etc. constitutes greenwashing, even if it oil companies co-opt it to deflect attention from themselves.
I get that change needs to happen at government/ industry levels to see the level of change required, but individuals can (and should) be the change they want to see.
To not make changes to your own life whilst wanting government to force the same changes on all of society seems pretty hypocritical.
This isn't going to do much at all in the grand scheme of things
> They don't have a choice to drive smaller cars?
Most people aren't driving dualies. Usually they're driving sedans. I'd wager, anecdotally, most people cannot afford new, more efficient cars. If they need to get to work to feed their families, and they're strapped for cash, they'll buy an emissions ridden piece of crap just to get there.
People can't hardly live for themselves and you expect them to shoulder all of the burden that the manufacturing and oil industries are causing.
> To not make changes to your own life whilst wanting government to force the same changes on all of society seems pretty hypocritical.
I'd much rather governments ban net-positive carbon emissions by the major offenders entirely and force all further major offenders to shut down, but that doesn't make our government officials rich does it?
What do you think happens if governments do this? On one hand you are saying most people don't have the option to change, but then quickly followup with saying governments should force massive change.
> you expect them to shoulder all of the burden that the manufacturing and oil industries are causing
Ultimately, the issue is that industry is not bearing costs of their activity. We want them to pay for the externalities, so that someone can be paid to cleanup after them, or more likely that they change behaviour to some alternative that has become cost effective.
But these costs will be passed onto the general population. Now instead of having the unrecognised costs loaded onto people through climate change, we will do it explicity. This will be the oil companies, or via whatever replaces that industry. I think that is a good thing, because it will make people vote with their wallets, to change their consumption patterns.
But they'll still have to pay, or change their behaviour. They'll end up eating less meat, more plants. They'll drive smaller cars, buy electric, take public transport, live in smaller houses, fly less.
I agree with needing to do this for us. Externalities should never be unaccounted for, it distorts everything. What I am saying is that it is hypocritical for an individual to campaign for governments to step in and force everyone to adapt enmasse, if they're not prepared to proactively change their behaviour to match the world that they are wanting everyone else to live in.
The industry is looking into alternatives like insects, and typically 30-40% of the feed now comes from vegetable proteins and oils.
On the other hand, farmed Faroese salmon (just next door) has a much higher % of wild-caught fish in its feed, which contributes to the high omega 3 content of Faroese salmon.
It works for me! I haven't gotten anyone pregnant in 30 years!
Also, I tested negative for everything! I don't even have crabs!
These are corporations and factories and rich folks fucking it up for the rest of us.
It's not bulletproof but it's a good rule of thumb, I eat fish once in a blue moon, last time it was a can of "traditionally hand fished" tuna, 40 euros a kilo
If it's cheap as fuck there is no way it's sustainable, you're either abusing nature or fellow humans, or both
There is a shortage of nature. On top of that, the ecosystems are changing, and once they're gone they're probably not coming back.
We could lose half of the population tomorrow and still, eventually, hit that predicted 10 billion souls -- it would just take a lil longer. If WA and BC turn into chaparral things like Salmon and Snow Crab ain't gonna live there any more, and never live there again.
All I'm saying is if you stop eating cheap sea food we won't have to send underpaid humans to risk their lives to catch them. Put you money where your mouth is
Herring is a good bet long term. China will fish the Pacific to death.