“The world’s smallest porpoise is slipping closer to extinction…” (Malkin). This porpoise is called a vaquita, and they are being run into extinction because of drift nets set for their larger cousin, called the totoaba. But, this isn’t just happening with these species, it is happening to many species all over the world. A drift net is a large net that is placed underwater for catching fish. Taking all of these fish out of the world’s oceans does not have a positive impact on the ecosystem. Michael Pollan, author of The Omnivore’s Dilemma, talked about destroying the ecosystem through farming (162), but he didn’t mention how it can also happen through fishing Fishermen should stop using drift nets to collect fish because they can catch the …show more content…
This leads to those fish becoming endangered and even extinct. For example, "up to 2,000 of the animals were drowning in gill nets in the Gulf of Maine each year--enough to eventually wipe out the species” (Cone). Some species can’t reproduce fast enough to continue having a stable population. This leads to endangerment and eventually extinction. In addition to this, "the vaquita... become entangled in nets set for the totoaba, and drown" (Malkin). Aquatic animals, such as the vaquita, are being over caught and killed in nets that weren’t even meant for them. Most of the anglers don’t even use the vaquita that was unintentionally caught. On the other hand, "...fish is the primary source of protein for one in six people on earth” (Whitty). To stop using drift nets to collect fish would deny many people much needed foods. Even so, "Erik Anderson, who has fished New England's waters for 30 years, would haul up his gill net and occasionally discover a harbor porpoise, entangled and dying, trapped in the mesh along with his harvest of cod and flounder" (Cone). Although some people may have to find a different source of protein, the demise of drift nets will save entire …show more content…
This can lead to ecosystems becoming unbalanced, and even crashing altogether. For example, "...fleets spew as much greenhouse gases into the atmosphere as the entire profligate United States” (Whitty). Ships dragging nets and catching fish are producing large amounts of gases that are harmful to the environment. Additionally, "we decimate coral reefs and kelp forests" (Whitty). Dragging nets along coral reefs does serious damage to the coral. Small fish living in the reef don’t have protection from predators, causing the predators to eat more and more and eventually run out of food. This continues on until the entire ecosystem caves in on itself. On the contrary, "the totoaba's swim bladder is dried... and sells for as much as $10,000 per kilogram, or close to $5,000 a pound" (Malkin). Catching certain fish with drift nets can provide income for fishermen and the government. The government can use this revenue to help protect wildlife, such as setting up wildlife preserves. Then again, "after the expert panel, known as the International Committee for the Recovery of the Vaquita, estimated in 2014 that the number of vaquitas had fallen to 97 from about 570 in 1997" (Malkin). The money earned from drift nets is nothing compared to the fate of an entire species. Plus, taking all of these fish out of the ocean takes a serious toll on the ecosystem; catching predators and letting prey overpopulate, or catching too much prey,
In the past twenty years a large amount of bottlenose dolphin have been killed due to the tuna fishery. In the Eastern Pacific swim large schools of tuna, these shoals tend to be under herds of dolphins, for some unexplained reason. Because of this, fishermen can easily find schools of tuna. The tuna are being caught under purse seine nets, which encircles the shoals of tuna and then is pulled back on board the fishing vessel, catching both tuna and dolphin. Initially the mortality rate was 500,000 each year for dolphins alone. Although some efforts are made to encourage the dolphins to leave the net by backing down part of the net, which allows the dolphins to escape, there are still a large number of mortalities (Bryant). On the other hand, in the last few years there has been dramatic progress in stopping the fishing industries from using purse sine nets. It has been found that dolphins are in immediate danger of extinction if these fishing techniques don’t stop.
...s to remove the selfish entertainment from nature and focus instead on its intrinsic value. This in situ approach to conservation of cod, although seemingly surface level transcends the boundaries of economic, cultural, or any of such approximations and places the value on the existence of the species. Another projected solution for the crisis of the overexploitation of fish is the institution of moratoria, which establish that a certain species can no longer be hunted or fished in this context. This in situ attempt at regulating the consumption of cod allows the cod for time to replenish themselves and their populations. Yet, this type of regulation suggests that all humankind must do is step back and let for the problem to take care of itself, and as has been proven several times before stepping back and letting things resolve themselves do not end accordingly
Generation after generation gathered food off the land, people are continuing to practice this in our modern world today. Societies expressly continue to gather their own food as it provides an inexpensive, delightful tasting meal. One of the techniques of our historical past that is still in use today, that has been used for generation after generation is “netting” fish. Netting is a classic technique that has not faced as many revisions to its practice. It persists from one generation to the next due to the fact, that many do not understand it to be harmful to the environment; others may enjoy the idea of letting commercial fisheries catch large numbers of fish as it continues to keep some of Americans favorite meals low cost. Devastating fall out from neglectful thinking about netting will occur in the future if preservative action toward this way of life is not taken. Minimizing the use of nets in waterways will ensure salmon and other fish survive for many more generations to come, allowing this plentiful food source given to us by Mother Nature to be exploited and enjoyed by our future kin. With food sources now readily available, fishing with nets should be reevaluated as follows; who is allowed to fish with nets, what are their purposes, and how will this effect tributary fishing populations.
Bycatch is the accidental capture or damage of other marine species during commercial fishing. Animals such as dolphins, sea turtles, whales, seals, sea lions, etc… get caught in the nets or hooks during trawling. These animals usually end up dying from various causes, often broken fins, deep lacerations, and drowning. It is estimated that more than 300,000 small whales and dolphins are killed each year from commercial fishing. (Anne Houtman pg. 246) Furthermore, fishing methods such as bottom trawling destroy spawning grounds and invertebrates. There are fishing methods and equipment that reduce bycatch and they are growing in popularity, however, bycatch still remains a major threat to marine life.
In the Omnivore’s Dilemma, Michael Pollan talks about 4 different models that we consume, purchase, and add it to our daily lives. Michael Pollan travels to different locations around the United States, where he mentions his models which are fast food, industrial organic, beyond organic, and hunting. I believe that the 3 important models that we need to feed the population are fast food, industrial organic, and beyond organic. Fast food is one of the most important models in this society because people nowadays, eat fast food everyday and it is hurting us in the long run. We need to stick to beyond organic or industrial organic food because it is good for our well being. Ever since the government and corporations took over on what we eat, we have lost our culture. In the introduction of the Omnivore’s Dilemma, Michael Pollan states that we have lost our culture:
This is known by the many fishing laws and policies that have been created for fishermen to obey in everyday life. Most are considered to be known without seeing the laws because it is basic morals and principals everyone should know. The most important one to the topic at hand is the right to fish comes with certain obligations and responsibilities to help ensure conservation of aquatic and costal resources and those affected (Lam 309, FAO.Code). This basically says when fishing, the fishermen has to take responsibilities for their actions. To conserve the lives of many aquatic animals, all rules must be followed accurately. If not it’s a risk to almost all the populations of aquatic species because it causes a chain reaction. If the food supply is damaged, the species dies, and that same species that dies could have also been a food source to another species that in turns dies as
The Bluefin tuna, Thunnus Thynnus, is a top predator of the oceans, and the most valuable fish in the world. David Attenborough once called it a “superfish”. Despite its Darwinian advantages commercial fisheries have exploited Bluefin for decades, and the population has fallen to an estimated 36% of its already depleted 1970 level1. Originally, fish were caught by rod and reel, one by one. During the 1980s commercial fisheries developed techniques, such as the use of long lines, drift nets and purse seines to catch thousands of these animals at a time. These techniques have obliterated the population of Bluefin in just a few decades. They also wreak havoc on the ocean killing millions of sea turtles, sharks, whales, dolphins- pretty much every living creature they come across. In 2007 the WWF warned of the imminent collapse of the Mediterranean population, in their article “Bluefin Tuna in Crisis”. However, this has not reduced the efforts of fisheries to catch these majestic creatures; with more boats chasing fewer and fewer fish, the species is being driven towards extinction. This common is being overused and could tragically disappear in the near future unless drastic changes are made. Both fishermen and consumers, as well as everyone who is affiliated with nature to some degree will be affected. The responsibility to prevent this tragedy is everyone’s, but business should lead the way in making commercial Bluefin fishing sustainable. Otherwise our planet will begin to look similar to Old MacDonald’s farm.
There are many impacts that fishing and land animal farming have on the ocean, which are detrimental to ocean ecosystems as well as many other aspects of the environment. Overfishing, killing fish at a much quicker rate than the fish can repopulate, is one major problem. Three-fourths of the world’s fisheries are either fully exploited, overexploited, or depleted (Cowspiracy). Researchers have estimated an end of all viable fisheries by 2018 if the current trends of fishing continue (Mason). According to the Monterey Bay Seafood Watch, hundreds of thousands of animals die every year as bycatch, with one of the worst offenders being shrimp fisheries, catching up to six pounds of bycatch per pound of shrimp. Endangered species are also caught, including predators which are important in keeping the balance in ocean ecosystems (Smith). While many organizations such as the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch recommend consumers to eat more “sustainable” fish, this will not stop the massive environmental impacts. Sustainable fishing for one does not account for the natural flux in the population of species of fish; what is considered a sustainable amount of fish to harvest one year may deplete the fishery in another year (Smith). Sustainable fish also are becoming even less sustainable as companies that label sustainable fish must find more For example, after Wal-Mart pledged to selling Marine Stewardship
With a coastline of over 202 000 km and over a fourth of the world’s freshwater resources, it is no wonder why Canada’s fishing industry is a huge part of its economy.1 Canada exports more than 75% of its fish to over 130 countries worldwide. Many of the 7 million people who reside on the coast depend on the ocean’s resources. In total, Canada’s entire fishing industry is worth around 5$ billion dollars a year, being one of the world’s most valuable. However, the coasts have not been treated by respect; overfishing, over consumption, and wasteful practices has deteriorated, not only the industry, but the ecosystems and fish populations. This is a huge global issue; the worldwide collapse of fisheries has been project for 2048. Slowly, as the trends continue, we will inevitably see many fish species start to disappear. In fact, the ill-treatment of species on the Canadian border has already devastated a large specie, the cod.
“Ocean overfishing is simply the taking of wildlife from the sea at rates too high for fished species to replace themselves. The earliest overfishing occurred in the early 1800s when humans, seeking blubber for lamp oil, decimated the whale population.” (overfishing) By the mid 1900’s common fish such as Atlantic Cod, Herring, and California Sardines were on the brink of extinction due to overharvesting. In the 20th century international efforts were focused on harvesting vitamin rich food at an affordable price. Therefore an international rise in fish occurred. In 1989 90 million tons of fish and various bycatch were taken from the ocean. Since 1989 fish populations have not been able to rebound therefore harming the environment, and the economy. A scientific study in 2003 reported “industrial fishing had reduced the number of large ocean fish to just 10 percent of their pre-industrial population.” (overfishing) With the collapse of these once large fish populations fishermen have started to fish in deeper waters. With commercial fleets fishing deeper into the ocean the balance of the oceans biological system is beginning to become upset. A 2006 study reporte...
...makes the issue of overfishing one that needs immediate attention. It seems that government action is the only means of solving overfishing. Although the fishing industry will be initially resistant to increased regulations, in the end the entire industry can end up better off. Although this is a global issue, it is more relevant in the Mediterranean than many other regions. If issues aren’t resolved now consumers of the Mediterranean diet will undoubtedly face increased food prices and therefore other cascading negative repercussions. A utilitarian approach is the only means of achieving true progress. Bearing the initial burden of a decrease in the supply of fish will not only save the oceans’ fish from devastation but also produce lasting benefits for both consumers and suppliers of fish. If serious initiative is not taken soon, the damage will be irreversible.
The number of fish that have been hunted is remarkable and the effects are irredeemable. According to Dan Barber, “we’ve been fishing the seas like we clear-cut forests” (How I Fell in Love with a Fish 1:13). The comparison of the destruction of fish to the way the world has catastrophically destroyed forests is shattering. Nature’s food web is so flimsy and easily broken that “the loss of even one species can disrupt an entire ecosystem” (Karr et al., p. 181). Even the smallest species that seems insignificant can lead to the environment being affected, every species is connected and has multiple relationships and connections. There are different species that rely on fish for energy transferred through the food chain and the population is managed through what each species consumes. Yet, just like in the meat industry, the fish industry regards the sale and distribution of fish on a higher scale than the actual environment of the
Some fishermen still go fishing to areas that are restricted, and they catch the bigger fish like whales and sharks, to sell their fins or other parts of the body. It took us only 55 years to wipe out 90% of the ocean’s predators causing a disruption of the marine ecosystem . On the other hand, not all the fishers are bad, some respect the law and fish where they are told to and to the amount of fish that they are allowed. However, some people think that catching the bigger fish, instead of the small, is better because that way the small fish have time to recover. That´s a theory, but the problem is that when one starts removing the big species from the sea; that’s when there are less predators than prey, and the ecosystem needs to have more predators to help to keep the balance. The big fish, the bill fish, the groupers, the big things will be gone. It is happening now. If things go unchecked, we'll have a sea full of little horrible things that nobody wants to eat. We might end up with a marine junkyard dominated by plankton . Otherwise, the ecosystem would be a chaos. For example, turtles eat jellyfish, but if the turtles become extinct, then the jellyfish population will rise and there would be a change in the ecosystem. This is why nature needs more predators, to maintain everything under
Humans put nets up for other marine life to be caught and the Vaquita is trapped in this net and is then drowned.
In 2009, Sylvia Earle gave a presentation in a TED conference on a rising problem that the world faces: the ecologic depletion of the world’s oceans. The ocean accounts for a massive portion of the recycled carbon dioxide back into oxygen, and provides food for huge parts of humanity and for huge numbers of animals. I agree with her conclusions that the oceans are being depleted and this can only mean bad things for humanity, but I disagree with her solution. To solve the problem, Mrs. Earle claims that the United States and other countries should expand their protected zones of the ocean. However, an ocean is not like a land environment, where you can section off parts of America to save isolated habitats. Fish travel often travel and migrate hundreds of miles to find food and suitable mates, this is especially true the larger the fish is. Sectioning off parts of the ocean only solves part of the problem, because the fish in that area will simply swim out of the area and then be caught by fisherman. The only way to incorporate government protection into the oceans, is for the government to effectively own the oceans within its borders and then lease the rights to fish or put quotas on the number of fish that each fisherman can take out.