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The importance of fish on human populations around the world is undeniable. Throughout history, different cultures have used fish protein as a food source, with wild-caught fish providing the bulk of the fish-derived protein. The oldest known painting of an angler using a rod or staff dates back to 2000 B.C. in Egypt(Anderson 2004). Fish have also been farmed in large quantities for more than 2000 years in China(Orr 2004). In addition, fish have served as a source of recreational pleasure for many people.
A constant but subtle theme in the development of different cultures is the use and dependence on fish and other aquatic life - for sustenance, for trade, for livelihood, and for the environment. As a result, the stability and instability of many cultures are dependent on the nearby marine biota. For example, in the last 20 years in Asia, the huge growth of shrimp farming and other aquaculture has helped to fuel the economic growth of Thailand,Bangladesh and Vietnam. In these countries, fish exports dominate those of all other agricultural commodities, i.e., in Vietnam in 2001, US$1.8 billion of seafood was exported versus US$600 million of rice (Williams 2004). Fish can also lead to destabilizing forces such as when illegal fishing strains relations between countries. Despite the pervasive nature of fish issues in various regions, they are often not visible on the political agenda until a crisis occurs. For example, a series of confrontations in the 1950s and 1970s was fought between the United Kingdom and Iceland regardingfishing rights near the coast f Iceland. This conflict, also known as the Iceland Cod Wars, is indicative of the importance and influence of fish on different cultures (Kurlansky 2003).
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