There I've gone and depressed myself again. Just finished a book (by Charles Clover) about "how overfishing is changing the world and what we eat" ("The End of the Line").

I'm in a real quandary now. We all know about our need for omega 3s, and that fish is a major source, even in pill form (fish oil). But, according to the book, "we have inflicted a crisis on the oceans in a single human lifetime greater than any yet caused by pollution."

Just about every fish (75%) out there is on the verge of extinction . Since we don't see it, like land animals, we don't seem to care. After all, the ocean is huge--we just haven't tapped its full potential. (Actually, most fish live on continental shelves--shallow waters.). Bluefin tuna, Atlantic cod, Chilean sea bass are threatened with extincton.

Farmed fish is no solution (salmon, tilapia), as they require ocean fish as a food source. Plus, they're actually harmful to our health and environment.

When I was on the Gulf Coast for two weeks, I never saw a fishing boat out in the waters. I learned it cost $500 to go "deep sea" fishing, with a limit of one fish per person. With such a restriction and moritorium, little wonder there are signs all over that say "United We Fish--and Vote". A community dependent on tourist fishing dollars wants no part of a ban on fishing.

It's the same old story, whether it be passenger pigeons or buffalo: kill 'til the very end. The same mentality--"If I don't catch (kill) them, someone else will". So Congress passes the Endangered Species Act. Then they scream "Government interference!!!" Therin lies much of the problem. Governments throughout the world are reluctant to impose regulations on their country's fishing industry. Instead, they allow fishing vessels to become more sophisticated in methods for finding fish.

Bottom line: quit eating fish. Or at least become educated on what fish are "safe". I'm slowly becoming a vegetarian.