In the 21st Century, there will be environmental reckonings that humankind will have to overcome if life as we know it is to continue. Maybe that's a little alarmist, perhaps a tad dramatic, but sadly, it's true. Our fragile climate and the health of our fractured environment may be the most visible and well-publicized crises looming on the horizon, but how to feed an ever-expanding population with diminishing resources isn't lagging too far behind.
There are currently an estimated eight billion people on our beautiful blue planet. That number is predicted to peak at nine and a half billion by 2050—a short 28 years away. A large, growing population coupled with increased global temperatures, drought conditions, and other factors that are averse to agriculture means humanity is going to have to get creative if we're going to put food on the table.
With 71% of the planet covered in water, aquaculture and sustainable fisheries are viable and vital solutions that are already moving in the right direction, offering healthier, more environmentally responsible alternatives to those more harmful food production methods like big agricultural, massive livestock ranches and indiscriminate driftnet fishing.
"There's one ocean system; we all depend on it for the quality of our lives," explains Jean-Michel Cousteau, son of famed ocean explorer Jacques Cousteau. "You have a drink of water; you're drinking the ocean. You go skiing; you are skiing on the ocean. Everything we put into it ends up coming back around to us."
Protecting our oceans and increasing sustainable fishing are inextricably intertwined. They aren't just trending hashtags or in-vogue menu items in hip eateries; they are vitally important for our planet and the future of humanity.
"There is no such thing as sustainable seafood in a dying ocean," surmises Captain Paul Watson, founder of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, which focuses its efforts on anti-poaching and direct-action marine conservation activism.
"We are literally eating the oceans alive, and there are simply not enough fish to continue to feed an ever-expanding population of humanity," he continues.

What Is Sustainable Fishing?
So, what is "sustainable fishing," and how do we define it? Well, it depends on where in the world you are. Different countries and cultures have different perspectives on how the ocean's bounty should be harvested, but in the United States, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) defines sustainable fishing as a practice that "respects marine ecosystems and adapts to the reproductive rate of fish to maintain a balance and ensure the survival of all species. Uses selective methods. Sustainable fishing rejects the indiscriminate capture of fry and endangered species or those without commercial value."
Before taking a deep dive into the current and future states of sustainable fishing in the U.S. today, it's worth taking a quick look back. For most of man's time on Earth, we've been able to live in balance with the ocean's resources. It's only been in the last couple of centuries—as populations have increased alongside sailing and fishing advancements—that overfishing became an issue. Indigenous cultures were astutely aware that their survival depended on their ability to manage local fish stocks.