Overfishing threatens a way of life in the Bahamas

By PATRICK WHITTLE
Associated Press

FREEPORT, Bahamas (AP) — The potential loss of conch in the Bahamas reflects the threat overfishing poses around the world to traditional foods. Nowhere is as synonymous with a seafood as the Bahamas is with conch, a marine snail whose shell and image are seen throughout the island nation. No longer a theoretical threat, overfishing has wiped out once abundant species and taken off the table forever beloved dishes important to cultures. And it’s a worsening problem. The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization has stated that more than a third of the world’s fish stocks are overfished. And the rate of unsustainable fishing is rising.