ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the ways in which responsible investors are engaging with companies on fisheries in order to prevent extinction of marine species. It focuses on the influence of civil society on corporate reputation and the growing reputational risk faced by companies in relation to their contribution to species extinction. Globally, 1,851 species of fish or 21% of all fish species evaluated were deemed at risk of extinction by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) in 2010, including more than a third of sharks and rays. The environmental, social, and governance practices within the seafood industry create significant challenges for commercial fish stocks that are driving many species to collapse and ultimately extinction. A quarter of sharks and related species are threatened with extinction, according to the IUCN Shark Specialist Group. Sharks are the ocean’s top predators and are vitally important to maintain the balance of marine ecosystems.
