THE FUTURE OF FISH

The management of our Oceans and our fisheries should be a major concern of everyone.  Mismanagement and a disregard of our fiduciary responsibilities have brought our oceans into peril. Humankind's actions have directly brought the oceans to a point in which we must change our views, policies and actions to prevent further and possibly irreversible damage to one of the ecosystems that sustain our human existence on this planet, whether you live in the inland of the United States, like Charlotte, NC or in a coastal community like Wilmington, NC. 

Many of our fisheries are in danger, Monterey Bay has stated that 90% of fisheries are in peril.  What can be done by us as consumers? What must be done? What path are we going to have to take to protect this vast but fragile resource?

 We view the oceans as large, we see that every time we visit the beach. We see that on the maps and globes. However, our human footprint has been felt and is obvious in the marine life and the healthy of these large ecosystems.

Fish have been taken from the sea – sometimes at great risk – this has been a fact of life for tens of thousands of years. Fish is still the main source of protein in many regions. For generations this occurred in balance with the marine environment. But the increasing use of technology has thrown the interrelationship between human societies and fish populations off balance. Intensive fishing practices worldwide are leading to the over exploitation of many fish stocks. Fish can be easily traced/tracked and found using cutting-edge sonar equipment, while the supersized nets and capacity of trawlers, at sea processing ships, working day and night, are slowly but surely emptying out the oceans. What kind of a future do the fisheries and the oceans have? What kind of a future do we want?  

Pollution, whether or not from the Japanese nuclear disaster, the plastic island in the north pacific, the runoff from the shores caused by flooding, tsunami's or even mere rain, our oceans are polluted. Cesium 131 in the pacific, mercury and other heavy metals worldwide, chemicals from fertilizers and much more have wreaked havoc on the micro-ecosystems near the coast, the reefs, the macro systems of the ocean.

 We, at Open Pasture Meats, bring you only the safest, healthiest, best quality and sustainable food in the United States. Our commitment to this end means at some point we MUST evaluate our place in the fisheries that we use to bring you the fish you so enjoy.