ABSTRACT
Numerous cases of intensive shing practices and aquaculture investments have resulted in serious depletion of the local sh/shell sh stocks, causing disturbances to the seabed structure and the food webs supporting the wild sh stocks restoration. Furthermore, seawater quality impairment and the increased number of rapidly spreading sh diseases are a warning signal to the sheries and aquaculture entrepreneurs and administrators. As the restoration ability of the primary stocks of commercially favored seafood species is fundamental for their capture sheries productivity, far-reaching changes have been suggested to support productivity and reduce wastage of valuable marine living resources. These changes include a shift to less intensive, responsible and environmentally friendly, sustainable shing. In the capture sheries setting, the total allowable catches per time at various levels-national, of producer groups or of individual vessels and shers-seems to be ineffective and its replacement with limits on shing effort (on where, for how long and with what gear to sh) is suggested (Roberts 2007, and references therein). Replacing the landing quotas with limits on shing effort could have stopped an “intentional killing” (thus getting rid of the now existing catch surplus above the permitted landing quotas). Independently of the future ways of sheries management evolution, an upgraded and coordinated international cooperation is essential. Regional sheries management organizations that are implementing the international conventions regulating sheries in the marine areas beyond national sovereignty or jurisdiction together with coastal states are now governing almost all oceans and seas. The joint effort of nations at the UN General Assembly level and within the UN body supervising the sheries and aquaculture (FAO) have already brought to life legally binding agreements like the Code of Responsible Fisheries or the FAO Port State Control Scheme, deterring and combating shing piracy. Nevertheless, it is the demand side of the seafood market that is deciding of the real effects of the above efforts. Without the growth of consumers understanding how much their choice when buying or ordering seafood means for the future of the marine life, the risk of the black scenario cannot be reduced.
