Overfishing first occurred in the coastal areas of northern countries, then as fish populations decreased the high seas became exploited.  Soon after, fishing vessels started turning their bows to the southern hemisphere to collect their catch.

Top marine predators are more susceptible to overfishing because their life cycles are slow, many fish like bluefin tuna reaching sexual maturity at 9 years of age.  Species like tuna have been seriously overexploited because of their high market value.  

In the part 40 years, the world's marine catch has increased more than four times.  And just about 70% of all our oceans are targeted as fishing grounds, lacking proper laws because of their remoteness.  Since the 1970s the world's fishing fleets have expanded to catch fish twice as quickly - as fish populations become sparser, boats must travel farther, and fish become more expensive and sought after.

Fish is one of the most important parts of daily diets around the world, but in many places like Asia, fish are caught for high-end luxury hoteliers and restaurants, as wells as for oils and souvenirs while many people go malnourished and suffering.  80% of the world's commercial marine catch is consumed by just 20% of the world.  There is something wrong with the entire system upon which we base our fishing industries.  

If fish populations continue to decrease, the world will be looking at a mass lay-offs in the fishing industry. Like the 20 000 Canadian fishermen in Newfoundland that lost their jobs overnight because the government had to completely shut down the industry to allow populations to compete.  

Commercial fishing does not just harvest their desired catch, but have massive amounts of by-catch that is wastefully thrown out.  And bottom-trollers tear up the delicate ocean floor that takes thousands of years to grow.  This means that one-quarter of the planet's biological diversity is in danger of extinction over the next 30 years! 

Neptune’s Cup sponges were first discovered in 1822.  The sponges grew so large; they were used as children’s bathtubs.  Sadly, becoming a hot commodity led to the overharvesting of the species, to the brink of extinction.  The last living one was seen in 1902, until recently.

In March 2011, during a routine survey of Singapore’s coast, the divers found a sponge they could not identify.  It wasn’t until sponge expert, Lim Swee Cheng, authenticated the discovery.  Even writing on his Facebook page, “My heart skipped a beat when I saw it in Singapore waters this year.”

The sponges observed this year measured 30cm in diameter, small compared to their legendary ancestors hauled out of the ocean.  The sighting of two Neptune’s Cup sponges by fluke during a survey is a possible indicator of a resurgence of the species.  For two relatively young specimens to be observed after over a century of perceived extinction, the possibility of adult sponges spawning these are likely. 

For the first time since their discovery, rather than harvesting Neptune’s Cup sponge, scientists will study them to learn how to conserve and hopefully rejuvenate the species.  Already positive insight has been learned.  Neptune’s Cup sponges were thought to be slow growing, but the sponges grew several centimeters between April-August.