Chris,

I am curious about your statement that "estimates are that 10% of normal stocks remain worldwide with continued depletion". I am sure that you are quoting what you believe to be an accurate source. Your integrity is not in question. May I ask the source of these figures? Was it some publication?

Did the source mention how and when the figures were derived and how they were validated? There would have to be at least two complete, worldwide inventories in order to get the starting and ending figures. And in order to be accurate, they would have to be conducted without any fish being counted twice. I can't even do that looking into an aquarium containing more than two fish.

I can't imagine how anyone would go about either inventory, especially the initial one, which would have to have been conducted so long ago as to have predated boats. It also would have predated written language, without which the beginning figures could never have gotten to the folks that did the second inventory.