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BOB HIRSHON (host):
Improving a fishy business. I’m Bob Hirshon and this is Science Update.
Many doctors extol the health benefits of fish, but at the same time, fish stocks are dwindling worldwide. This is driving a growing demand for sustainably harvested seafood, and many retailers are turning to developing countries to supply it. UC, Davis researcher Jim Sanchirico says special partnerships between fishers and buyers could boost the supply. These fishery improvement projects provide access to international markets in exchange for a commitment to future sustainability. But Sanchirico and his colleagues write in the journal Science that the path to sustainability isn’t always smooth.
JIM SANCHIRICO (University of California, Davis):
We found that ⅔ of the fisheries get market access, but they’re but they’re not moving on to the stages where the changes and reforms occur.
HIRSHON:
He says that better fisheries management, regulation and monitoring will be necessary to ensure that seafood coming from these partnerships is sustainable. I‘m Bob Hirshon, for AAAS, the science society.