In the first few pages of World Without Fish, Mark Kurlansky introduces the idea of fish depletion by providing statistics and facts about the current state of the world's fish populations. He begins by stating that the world's fish populations are in a critical state, with many species facing extinction due to overfishing, pollution, and climate change. He cites statistics such as the fact that 90% of the world's large fish have been depleted, and that the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) estimates that 52% of fish stocks are fully exploited or overexploited.
Kurlansky also provides historical context, explaining how human populations have been relying on fish as a source of food for thousands of years. He notes that as human populations have grown, so too has the demand for fish, leading to overfishing and the depletion of fish populations.
Additionally, Kurlansky highlights specific examples of fish depletion, such as the collapse of cod fisheries in Newfoundland and the depletion of tuna populations in the Pacific. He also discusses the impact of these declines on local communities and economies that rely on fishing.
Furthermore, Kurlansky also emphasizes the importance of fish in the ocean ecosystem, and how their depletion can affect the entire oceanic food web. He shows how the depletion of fish populations can lead to a domino effect, as other species that depend on fish as a food source also decline.
Overall, in the first few pages of World Without Fish, Mark Kurlansky uses statistics, historical context, specific examples and scientific explanation to introduce the idea of fish depletion, and how it is a problem that affects not only the fish populations but also the entire oceanic ecosystem, communities and economies.