FOR many years, the sea has provided man with a rich and plentiful bounty. But overfishing has caused stocks to fall into decline pretty much everywhere, not just in the once-teeming waters of the Grand Banks but also in warmer climes such as the Gulf of Thailand. Some, however, remain sceptical over long-term scarcity. The global catch increased to over 93m tonnes in 2006, according to the UN's Food and Agriculture Organisation, compared with just 19m in 1950. Much of this can be attributed to better technology, which enabled fishermen to catch more, smaller fish when the big ones run out. And research by Scripps, a marine-science research organisation, suggests that fish species may have declined by up to 80% from their pristine state. Other marine creatures such as oysters and whales have fared even worse.

AP