On the second episode of the FishBase and SeaLifeBase Anniversary Podcast, Daniel Pauly talks about some of the rewards and challenges of creating FishBase and turning it into a leading biodiversity information system.
Category: New & Notable
Treating fish as a public health asset can strengthen food security in lower-income countries

Fishing in Ada Foah, Ghana. Photo by jrwebbe, Flickr.
The food and nutrient security of billions of people worldwide depend on fish being treated as a domestic public health asset instead of a commodity.
A new paper by researchers with the Sea Around Us – Indian Ocean initiative at the University of Western Australia and the Sea Around Us global initiative at the University of British Columbia reviews evidence to back the urgent need to develop health- and nutrition-focused fisheries policies that drift away from current export-oriented, profit-maximizing policies.
COVID-19 and Brexit can help with the recovery of UK fish stocks

Fishing boats in Brixham harbour, UK. Photo by Dave_S, Flickr.
The United Kingdom has a unique opportunity to start rebuilding its fish stocks by taking advantage of the slowdown in commercial fishing caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and ongoing Brexit negotiations that should lead to new policy and legislation.
A new paper by researchers with the University of Southampton, the GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research and the Sea Around Us initiative at the University of British Columbia presents a science-based pathway for decision-makers to develop a holistic approach in fisheries management by harnessing the present moment in which threatened stocks are seeing fishing pressure reduced to levels not seen since World War II.
FishBase and SeaLifeBase by the numbers
FishBase was born 30 years ago and SeaLifeBase 15 years ago.
The processes and efforts behind the creation of these two databases have been complex and enormous, involving dozens of staff members and thousands of collaborators.
Putting the spotlight on Southern Mediterranean, Arabian Peninsula fisheries
In the midst of the covid-19 pandemic, Myriam Khalfallah defended her PhD dissertation titled Data-poor Fisheries: Case studies from the Southern Mediterranean and the Arabian peninsula.
Despite having to present from her living room via a videoconferencing system to comply with the physical distancing measures imposed by the B.C. health authorities, Khalfallah obtained unanimous approval for her thesis.