Prince Charles warns of future nightmare if overfishing is ignored

Prince Charles has warned of the inevitable nightmare the world faces if the issue of overfishing is not addressed.

At a reception marking the 10 year anniversary of the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) at Clarence House yesterday (14 July), the Prince addressed a crowd of fishing industry leaders including restaurateurs and caterers.

Prince Charles praised the MSC for its efforts over the last decade but added that a lot needs to be done to explain to consumers the problems and pressures related to fish stocks. He also warned delegates about the dangers related to bycatch.

"What I cannot understand is that of 84m tonnes of fish caught every year, seven million is discarded. Bycatch is immoral and utterly obscene and I cannot comprehend how this can still happen," he said.

"The science tells us very clearly that if we continue to fish without any care for the long-term sustainability of fish stocks, we will soon face a nightmare collapse in stocks and inevitable demise of the poorest people in the world."

MSC chief executive Rupert Howes added: "Transforming the global seafood market to a sustainable basis is a major, but achievable aim. It is one to which everyone, individually or corporately, can make a real contribution by making the most environmentally sound choices when harvesting or buying seafood."

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By Kerstin KÁ¼hn

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