Welcome to Alstar

There are things we need to see in this life. If we don't look further than an hour, a day, a month, one or more years, we will soon wake up in a dream come true. We live in perilous times. The economic collapse has further established the need for taking good care of our natural resources, including the fishing grounds and the ocean in general. We need to remember that we are supposed to leave the world in a good condition for generations to come. Alstar My name is Albert Haraldsson. I would like to share with you some thoughs on what I know best: the sea. It has always been my passion and my life. I have been a fisherman from the age of twelve, i.e. for 35 years, working my way up from the lowest duties to that of a captain. I have been at sea on all kinds of vessels, from the smallest to the largest. And I brought with me the knowledge of my grandfather, who knew what fishing is all about. I am not sharing with you the experience of others, but my own. I know what I am talking about. Thus I want to share with you what I have learned, my life, my experience and my vision for the future. That is what Alstar is all about. I hope you will take notice of what I have to say. Fish and fisheries Most of us know that the quantity of fish is diminishing all around the world. Fishing grounds, that once were rich, are now drying up.  And cities, towns and villages along the coastlines are being reduced to the mere shadow of their former state. The main reason for all this is that fishing vessels, big or small, are now a hundred times more efficient than they were one or two decades ago.  That is not only resulting from fishing policies and general increase in prices, but also more efficient fishing equipment and a better general training of fishermen.  Science does also play its part, since the technology onboard ships and specialization has made it easier to find the best fishing grounds and consume the maximum amount of fish in the shortest of time. Thus we find ourselves stripping individual species of their chances to repopulate properly and thus reducing their numbers for years to come. And that also endangers other species that rely upon the unbroken chain of life in order to survive. The chain of life In our lives, everything has a meaning: the human being, the animals, the birds and the fish. And all species have their own part to play in the harmony of life.  We need to perceive this chain of life and understand its meaning. That is fairly easy in regard to those species that inhabit the terra firma; that's what our senses are for. We can thus easily observe the general habits of land creatures, either directly or by applying technological instruments. The sea is quite a different matter. In order to investigate what lies beneath the surface, one needs echo sonders, sonars, and other equipment. But these electronic eyes might as well be telling lies, as showing us the truth. It all depends on the motives of those, who are controlling them.  But results never lie. It does not matter what we like to believe. The grim fact is, that the fishing grounds are being depopulated and that will affect not only those, who are dependent upon fisheries, but the whole world. We need to look at what's happening today, and to find a way to face the future. This is everybody's responsibility -- our legacy to the generations to come.