Fish species close to extinction

London - Fish stocks in international waters are being
plundered to the point of extinction because Governments
are failing to protect them, the World Wildlife Fund (WWF)
has warned.

Species including the tuna and the orange roughy are among
those under threat by illegal fishing and the notorious
practice of bottom-trawling, by which heavy rollers are
dragged over the ocean floor, trapping fish and mammals
and destroying entire eco-systems.

The most emperilled species are within international
waters, away from the protection of national government
control. These waters account for more than half the
world's surface, yet many governments are ignoring
controls on them and allowing pirate fishing to go
unchecked, said Simon Cripps of WWF's marine programme.
Countries such as Australia, Britain and Canada should be
taking more responsibility, setting examples and putting
pressure on other states, he said.