Over-fishing is threatening the many species that fill the Mediterranean Sea—not to mention the livelihoods of local fishermen and the diets of the region's populace—but having 21 countries to deal with makes it difficult to wrangle out an agreement that would give stocks a chance to recover, the Christian Science Monitor reports.
Enforcement is also a major problem, and few fishermen pay much attention to laws currently on the books. Yet some say they've been warning of a collapse for years. "In the sea, it's like there's been a fire forever, but no one does a thing," says the head of an Italian fishing cooperative. (More fish stories.)