For centuries, conservation and capitalism have been framed as opposing forces. Today, however, a new paradigm is emerging: ecological protection is being recognised as the foundation of long-term prosperity. The central issue, especially for marine environments facing overfishing and declining fish stocks, is whether true economic resilience can be achieved only through sustainable ecosystem management. In the 1950s and 60s, the rich Benguela Current ecosystem formed the backbone of the pilchard (also known as sardine) industry, with an estimated biomass between 4 and 11 million tonnes in the northern Benguela ecosystem off Namibia. Fishing efforts there peaked in the late 1960s, but declined rapidly from the early 1970s as pilchard stocks collapsed. By 1980, eight of the 11 pilchard canneries had closed, with upwards of 3,000 jobs lost. Fishing efforts in Namibia continued to sustain the pilchard industry, albeit at extremely low levels, but pilchard stocks failed to recover. This article highlights the importance of maintaining a healthy marine ecosystem, which is critical to ensuring that an equilibrium amongst diverse species – from minute plankton to fish to top predators such as seabirds – is maintained. The collapse of a keystone species has the potential to disrupt the Benguela Current ecosystem, leading to an unhealthy state with repercussions not only for top predators but also for people and livelihoods.