The Associated Press reports today that “The wealth of Asians [is] straining world fish stocks.”

Wealthier consumers prefer protein. Contributing to the stress of fish stocks, according to the UN Environment Program, is population growth. Consider, India and China alone account for one third of the world’s population.  The middle class is rapidly expanding in the two emerging economies and elsewhere throughout Asia. Demand for fish and other protein will only rise. The graph shows the top 10 nations for metric tons of fishing landings, with China leading in the biggest overall catch. But then consider the catch per person: Norway, Peru and Chile are catching far more fish than their citizens could possibly eat, and of course, are exporting to other markets, including Asia.

Besides population, other reasons the stocks are stressed: growing awareness about the benefits of eating fish, government energy subsidies that allow fishing vessels to chase preferred species around the globe, pollutants, and limited data on fish stocks.

“In 2002 the world fishing fleet numbered about four million vessels,” reports the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. “The average size of decked vessels remains about 20 GT (around 10-15 metres). Those larger than 100 GT (or longer than 24 m) amounted to about 1 percent of the world fishing fleet. China has approximately 50 percent (25 600) of these larger vessels, while no other country has more than 10 percent of this fleet and about 10 countries together account for 80 percent of the total.”

Sadly, the FAO also reports that the fisheries data are “scarce, incomplete and of low quality.” The FAO also covers how data are collected.

Without adequate data collection and international regulations on fishing, adequately enforced, the fishing industry will continue to grow and expand, possibly endangering stocks.  Fishing methods are another critical factor. Regulations should favor those that minimize waste.

A resource that is open to all countries requires careful regulation or the stocks will collapse, otherwise known as the Tragedy of the Commons.  As Garrett Hardin argued in 1968, “Freedom in a common brings ruin to all.”

The fishing industry cannot survive without regulations.

Data from FAO and NationMaster.com

Among the year’s most noteworthy plates:

“Little Water Cantina’s spectacular tuna ceviche is a party on a plate, with St. Jude’s albacore as the guest of honor, and cucumber, jicama, mandarinquat and habanero to help shake things up.”

Happy 2012 – and eat well …

“One of nature’s grand migrants, it travels in large schools usually stretching several miles; swimming south during summer and north in the winter, feeding on squid, crustaceans and smaller fish. Bullet-shaped, the albacore can swim up to an impressive speed of 80 km/hr and has been recorded to weigh 45kg as an adult with a maximum life span of 12 years.”

And Tawakelevu also explains how the fish won its Fijan name, which means black.

Happy New Year!

The regional electric company, Pepco, sponsors the event and reminds that LED lights are not only fun, but save energy. Light-emitting diodes, or LEDS, “are small, very efficient bulbs,” explains Eartheasy, a site that promises sustainable solutions.

LED benefits are many, explains Eartheasy -  they’re long-lasting, durable, cool, mercury-free, more efficient, cost-effective and light and portable for remote areas. And the Zoo Lights displays are proof they are merry and bright.

From all of us at St Jude albacore tuna – Happy Holidays and best wishes for a wonderful, sustainable 2012!

Photos courtesy of Douglas Olsen

Blood orange, Eureka Lemon, garlic, herbs de Provence, Persian lime, wild mushroom and sage – imagine these flavored oils with St Jude products.  Or how about black cherry, pomegranate, grapefruit, honey ginger balsamic vinegars?

The wonderful flavors can be found at Lebherz Oil & Vinegar Emporium - or LOVE. Maggie Lebherz has more than 50 varieties of oil and vinegar – and all the oils are first pressed, cold pressed, and unfiltered, which owner says is “as fresh as you can get here in the US!”

Shopping done. Sensational.

Photo courtesy of Lebherz Oil & Vinegar Emporium.

A new study has revived concerns over BPA. “Eating just one 12-ounce serving of canned soup a day for five days straight may lead to more than a 1,000% increase in the amount of the controversial chemical bisphenol A (BPA) in your urine, a new study shows,” reports Denise Mann for WebMD Health News.  ”BPA is a chemical used in the manufacturing of many metal food and beverage cans, among other uses.”

States have steadily been passing bans on chemicals, including BPA, reported Jonathan Bardeline for GreenBiz.com.

St Jude albacore customers are savvy shoppers who are on top of heath issues, and thanks to them, we are, too!

A frame for poaching an egg.

Crafts, including a candle-holder.

An old-fashioned pincushion.

We grew up with a mom who spent an entire year carefully crafting homemade Christmas ornaments by cutting both bottom and top away from tuna tins. She lined the inside and outer part of the rim with fabric and wide gingham bows and then meticulously used a glue gun to create tiny scenes inside.

And you wonder why we love tuna so …  Send us your ideas!

(Photo courtesy of Etsy.com)

The colorful, merry fish – constructed of wire and bottle tops and caps – came ashore on Willow Avenue in Takoma Park, Maryland.

We like to think of it as a tuna, but the Takoma Voice calls it the “legendary bottle-cap snakehead fish” and provides a better photo, too!

The fish made from just bottle tops and caps provokes thought about how much more we can reuse or recycle – and reduce altogether!

Another fish artist is Rik Nelson who devises a fleet of ever-changing, eye-catching fish art from post-consumer recyclables: “handmade from post-consumer recyclables – bottle caps, popcorn, cookie and candy tins, aluminum soda, beer and fruit juice cans, and plastic (from shampoo bottle, motor oil containers, yogurt cups, etc.).” The fish can be displayed indoors or out.

And last but not least, for those who love to go fishing with their own handmade equipment, here is how to make your own bottle-cap lure.

If you use plastic, be sure to recycle or reuse or dispose properly – so it doesn’t end up in the oceans.