Vanishing Fish: Shifting Baselines and the Future of Global Fisheries

"Daniel Pauly is a friend whose work has inspired me for years."
—Ted Danson, actor, ocean activist, and co-author of Oceana

"This wonderfully personal and accessible book by the world’s greatest living fisheries biologist summarizes and expands on the causes of collapse and the essential actions that will be required to rebuild fish stocks for future generations.”
—Dr. Jeremy Jackson, ocean scientist and author of Breakpoint

The world’s fisheries are in crisis. Their catches are declining, and the stocks of key species, such as cod and bluefin tuna, are but a small fraction of their previous abundance, while others have been overfished almost to extinction. The oceans are depleted and the commercial fishing industry increasingly depends on subsidies to remain afloat.

In these essays, award-winning biologist Dr. Daniel Pauly offers a thought-provoking look at the state of today’s global fisheries—and a radical way to turn it around. Starting with the rapid expansion that followed World War II, he traces the arc of the fishing industry’s ensuing demise, offering insights into how and why it has failed.

With clear, convincing prose, Dr. Pauly draws on decades of research to provide an up-to-date assessment of ocean health and an analysis of the issues that have contributed to the current crisis, including globalization, massive underreporting of catch, and the phenomenon of “shifting baselines,” in which, over time, important knowledge is lost about the state of the natural world.

Finally, Vanishing Fish provides practical recommendations for a way forward—a vision of a vibrant future where small-scale fisheries can supply the majority of the world’s fish.

Published in Partnership with the David Suzuki Institute

Daniel Pauly, PhD is an esteemed researcher who, in 1995, coined the term “shifting baselines.” A professor at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, BC, he directs the Sea Around Us, an initiative devoted to studying and mitigating the impact of fisheries on the world’s marine ecosystems. His work has been profiled in outlets such as Science, Nature, and the New York Times, and he has been recognized with numerous awards, including a fellowship with the Royal Society of Canada.

Jennifer Jacquet, PhD is an assistant professor in the Department of Environmental Studies at New York University and the author of Is Shame Necessary?, a book about why shame can be a weapon of choice in a globalized world facing many social and environmental dilemmas. She lives in New York City.