Speakers at the latest UTSpeaks public lecture last week called for adequate funding of marine research and greater consumer awareness of sustainably-caught seafoods to ensure that many fish species avoid extinction in coming decades.

More than 150 marine and fishing industry stakeholders, conservationists and scientists attended the lecture which is the sixth in the 2006 series.

UTS Science Faculty marine ecologist Professor David Booth presenting with Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) Asia Pacific Director Duncan Leadbitter, delivered an urgent report card on the health of global fish stocks and marine habitats.

High on the list of concerns was limited understanding of fish lifecycles and habitats, the need for marine parks to protect fish stocks, the danger of commercial and recreational overfishing to the survival of many popular species and the need for consumers to become more active in the marketplace.

Professor Booth said the community had a vital role to play in helping to protect marine habitats and save many species of marine life that were endangered or faced extinction.

"Seafood consumers can assist marine conservation by becoming aware of and avoiding seafoods on sale that may be overfished, or are caught using methods that damage marine habitats, or result in high levels of wasteful by-catch," Professor Booth said.

"Our governments also have an important role to play in ensuring that adequate funding goes to researching not just endangered fish or fish that are popular with recreational fishermen, but many others and their complete complex marine habitats. Both commercial and recreational fishermen must work with government and scientists to ensure there will be fish for future generations to come.

"It is important that new marine parks being established off the coast of NSW contain adequate no-take areas where fish species are able to grow and breed in safety and then overflow into areas that allow fishing. No-take marine parks must become one of the tools we use in Australia to create sustainable fishing industries - as they have been used in New Zealand and the Philippines."

But the news is not all bad. Important progress is being made with some Australian fisheries introducing eco-labelling of their seafood products through certification to the Marine Stewardship Council Standard for sustainable fisheries.

MSC Asia Pacific Director Duncan Leadbitter said eco-labelling helped consumers identify seafood products that were produced using sustainable methods and worked like the highly successful "Made in Australia" symbol.

Eco-labelling has become very popular with major fisheries in Europe and the United States," Mr Leadbitter said.

"In Australia there are now up to 35 eco-labelled products widely available through major retailers and two fisheries have achieved the MSC standard, with more to come.

"There is abundant evidence both here and overseas that consumers want to buy sustainably-caught fish and the Marine Stewardship Council makes that easy by using a distinctive label."