Big Fish Eat Little Fish
Small schooling species such as sardines, anchovies and other forage fish eat plankton and in turn become a critical food source for everything above them on the food web, including seabirds, whales, and bigger fish like salmon and tuna. Thus, if you care about big Salmon and Steelhead, then you also need to care about the management of tiny fish out in the ocean.
Forage fish are a huge part of the food web out in the ocean. If there are not enough of them, the predator fish further up the food chain, like Salmon and Steelhead, dwindle in numbers. Unfortunately, the global demand for forage fish is growing and these important little ones are being scooped up at an alarming rate. They are being ground into food, poultry and fish farms.
What You Can Do
There's something you can do about it today,according to the Idaho Conservation League. If you want these fish to experience a natural food chain instead of being fed to chickens and pigs, there is a chance to make your voice heard.
According to the Pew Charitable Trust, in 2012, west coast fishery managers recognized the need to protect tiny but vitally important fish in order to maintain a healthy and balanced ocean ecosystem here along the Pacific coast. This is due, in large measure, to a strong demonstration of public support. Last June, the Council adopted a policy objective to prohibit new fisheries targeting currently unmanaged forage fish because of their role in sustaining a healthy ocean food web. The California Fish and Game Commission adopted a similar policy for state waters within three miles of California's picturesque beaches. However, the best of intentions mean very little without action to back them up.
They need your help to keep the momentum going in 2013
According to the Idaho Conservation League, the first-ever Fishery Ecosystem Plan is now available for public comment, and the Pacific Fishery Management Council has a chance to move ecosystem protection from theory into practice. However, the best of intentions mean very little without action to back them up. The council's public comment period closes soon. Please take a moment to tell the council that it's time to enact firm measures to sustain the Pacific marine ecosystem, starting by protecting the ocean food web.
You can comment at this convenient website.