by Lester R. Brown, Earth Policy Institute After World War II,
accelerating population growth and steadily rising incomes drove
the demand for seafood upward at a record pace. At the same
time, advances in fishing technologies, including huge
refrigerated processing ships that enabled trawlers to exploit
distant oceans, enabled fishers to respond to the growing world
demand. In response, the oceanic fish catch climbed from 19
million tons in 1950 to its historic high of 93 million tons in
1997. This fivefold growth--more than double that of population
--raised the wild seafood supply per person worldwide from 7
kilograms (15.4 pounds) in 1950 to a peak of 17 kilograms in
1988. Since then, it has fallen to 14 kilograms. As population
grows and as modern food marketing systems give more people
access to these products, seafood consumption is growing.
Indeed, the human appetite for seafood is outgrowing the
sustainable yield of oceanic fisheries. Today 75 percent of
fisheries are being fished at or beyond their s