FutureBites with Dr. Bruce McCabe
FutureBites is a podcast exploring promising and exciting pathways to a better future. Hosted by Dr Bruce McCabe, a futurist and keynote speaker who travels the world presenting his unique insights and research on the future to corporations, governments, and audiences in all industries. In each FutureBites episode, Bruce meets with an inspiring leader in science, technology, economics or the social sciences to talk about ideas, game-changers and opportunities to create a better future.
FutureBites with Dr. Bruce McCabe
Fisheries are a Global Ponzi Scheme (and how to fix it) – With Daniel Pauly
Why does the most cited fisheries scientist in the world call modern fisheries a global Ponzi scheme?
Welcome to part two of our dive into the future of oceans, where my focus is still on the pathways we can take to preserve ocean ecosystems and fisheries for the future, but this time I’m putting my questions to Daniel Pauly.
Daniel is Professor of the Institute of Oceans and Fisheries at the University of British Columbia, and Principal Investigator of the Sea Around Us Project, winner of the 2023 Tyler Prize (the "Nobel prize for environmental achievement") and author or co-author, over his distinguished career, of more than 1,000 science papers, articles, books and book chapters.
And he does NOT pull punches.
In this brutally honest conversation about the state of our oceans and the impact of modern fishing practices, Daniel speaks plainly about:
- The beginnings of the technologically-enabled “War on Fish” in 1880
- Current global trajectory for overfishing
- The absurdity of having one-third of commercial fishing value subsidized, allowing unprofitable operations to continue despite dwindling stocks
- How ending subsidies would be a giant step towards a fix
- Marine sanctuaries: government promises versus enforcement inaction
- How modern technology could easily be used to enforce regulations
- Distinctions between sustainable and highly destructive forms of aquaculture
- The devastating ecological consequences of changing ocean currents
- Why deep-sea mining must be stopped
Take a moment to meditate on Daniel’s insights, then share them. Our oceans are so vastly important to our future, and yet most people spend NO time thinking about them. All the technology to preserve our oceans exists. The solutions are clear. The only missing piece is the will to implement them.
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As always, additional commentary and takeaways and the full transcript will be on the Future Bites page soon. More on my work as a Futurist Speaker, and why I do what I do, at www.brucemccabe.com
