TALCAHUANO, Chile -- Eric Pineda, a dock agent in this old port south of Santiago, peered deep into the Achernar's hold at a measly 10 tons of jack mackerel -- the catch after four days in waters once so rich they filled the 17-meter fishing boat in a few hours.

Australia leads the way in trying to protect the world's fish population. But stocks of jack mackerel, down 90 per cent in 20 years in the once-rich southern seas, point to a wider global calamity. Mort Rosenblum and Mar Cabra report.

By Mort Rosenblum and Mar Cabra, iWatch NewsTALCAHUANO, Chile -- Eric Pineda peered deep into the Achernar's hold at a measly 10 tons of...