We must help fish, says Attenborough

Veteran naturalist Sir David Attenborough says over-fishing is one of three challenges facing the world’s oceans.

The television presenter, whose series Blue Planet II looks at sea life, said climate change and pollution were also having an impact.

On fishing, he said: “What you need is international agreement,” adding that global cooperation had largely outlawed whale hunting but this could also be applied to prevent overzealous depletion of the world’s fish.

Action should also be taken to combat the dumping of pollutants, including plastics. “There’s nothing which we, or anybody, can do about the raising of the temperature because the die is already cast,” he said. “But we can do something about what we tip into the sea – there are some tragic stories to be told as to the effect this is having, not only to the creatures that live in the sea, but by the sea.”