The Changing Face Of Global Fishermen

It used to be that fishing was a great contest, a dangerous job, and one of the most profitable enterprises you could be involved in, if mother nature was smiling upon you. It seems that two of those are still true. You see, the fishing industry is starting to realize the changes that need to occur if it is going to be the sort of work that one can teach their sons. With the rate of rampant overfishing that's taken place in the past 40 years, most of the world's fish populations need some time to recover and bulk back up. That's why it is so fascinating that, for the first time in a long time, the fishing industry is considering the importance of paying attention to the little guys, and caring more about the environment than it ever did before.

A number of specific successful fishing operations are being looked to for the big guys to make this change. And nowhere are there fleets leading by example quite like in Alaska, were the salmon and whitefish industry has pioneered an approach to fishing that nets the fish without ruining next year. You see, instead of having a free for all, Alaska has strict rules on who is allowed to fish when, and with what kind of equipment. Because there are so many fish available, instead of breaking the rules, fishermen follow them. So far, there's been enough fish for everyone year after year.

There's no place this is a bigger deal than in the whitefish industry. The story of cod in our world is a crazy one, one that started with fish so plentiful the first explorers to come to America told stories of simply plucking them out of the water with their bare hands. But after years and years of rampant overfishing, and wars and battles fought over who could fish where, the cod population around the world has been decimated. So now the entire whitefish industry, from traditional Portuguese fishermen in Portugal and New England to those Viking descendants in Iceland, have to look to Alaska to find out what to do.

But unlike in the waters around Iceland, New England, and Europe, Alaskan fishermen don't have to wait it out, frantically fighting over the last few schools of cod left. No, the whitefish industry in Alaska is booming precisely because fishermen figured out that restraint is important. And rather than just being the dream of some tree-hugger, big business is starting to realize that being eco-friendly might just help the bottom line instead of hurting it.

So the face of the fisherman is changing. There's a more patient approach, less of a rampant need to snatch up all the fish, and most important of all, an awareness that everyone is in this together. It is just this attitude that we need for world fish stocks to rise again, and for fish to not merely be something we used to eat, back in the day.

By: Allie Moxley

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For great information on everything seafood, look to the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute. ASMI is the best resource on the web for tips on Alaska's ocean bounty.