Research Paper
The Environmental Impact of Fisheries and Fish Farming on a Global Scale
On our Oceanography class trip to La Jolla, California, we spent a day on the Ocean Institute boat running tests and observing sea life. To collect a sample of the different fish in the area we dragged a large net in the water, which the volunteers said they don’t do often because it is destructive to the environment. I found it interesting that catching fish in this way could be harmful not only to the fish, but to the ocean environment itself. I am a pescetarianism for environmental reasons, but I never considered the environmental effects of fishing. My experience made we want to learn about commercial fishing and if it had any serious effects on the environment. This paper is a simple investigation into commercial fisheries, fish farming and the impact they are having on fish populations and the environment.
Marine fisheries are large commercial fishing companies that recklessly catch mass amounts of fish, causing decline in marine fish populations and irreversible changes to the oceanic environment. Scientists Goldburg and Naylor record fishery’s statistics who report the amount fish caught globally by commercial fisheries to be about 90 million metric tons per year (21). Due to this excessive volume, it has been estimated that ninety percent of large fish in the world, like sharks and swordfish, have been wiped out (Goldburg and Naylor 21). Harris and Codur site the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization’s statistics, which show that sixty percent of major fish species in eleven of the fifteen most important global fisheries are in decline (1). Such a population decrease, seemingly impossible to restore, one would assume must be ...
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Pauly, Daniel and Dirk Zeller (Lead Authors); J. Emmett Duffy (Topic Editor). 2006. "Marine fisheries." Encyclopedia of Earth. Eds. Cutler J. Cleveland (Washington, D.C.: Environmental Information Coalition, National Council for Science and the Environment). (2006). 25 Mar. 2010
Pauly, Daniel, Reg Watson, and Jackie Alder. "Global Trends in World Fisheries: Impacts on Marine Ecosystems and Food Security." Philosophical Transactions: Biological Sciences,Fisheries: A Future? Vol. 360.No. 1453, (2005): 5-12 28 Mar. 2010
Norse, Elliot A., et al. eds. Marine Conservation Biology: the science of maintaining the sea's biodiversity. Washinginton DC: Island Press, 2005.
In this entertaining, search into global fish hatcheries, New York Times writer Paul Greenberg investigates our historical connection with the ever changing ocean and the wild fish within it. In the beginning of the book Paul is telling his childhood fishing stories to his friends, that night Paul discovers that that four fish dominate the world’s seafood markets in which are salmon, tuna, cod, and bass. He tries to figure out why this is and the only logical answer he could come up with is that four epochal shifts caused theses wild fish population to diminish. History shows that four epochal shifts happen within fifteen years causing certain fish species populations to diminish. He discovers for each of the four fish why this happened to
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.
Accoring to “Overfishing of Blue fin Tuna: Incentivizing Inclusive Solutions,” it is estimated that 53% of tuna is exploited, while Blue fin Tuna have shown a significant decrease in the stock of reproductive Blue fin tuna by 80% since 1972 (Boon 1). By these statistics, it is clearly shown how much we take them for granted. Originally, Blue fin tuna were considered an inexhaustible food supply. However, as time has shown that ignorance really is bliss. If we stop and think of alternatives on how to save the Blue fin tuna population, we would be able to preserve the species for later generations to come.
Stone, Richard. "Massive Outbreak of Jellyfish Could Spell Trouble for Fisheries." Yale Environment 360. Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies, 13 Jan. 2011. Web. 01 May 2012.
Overfishing is a major problem in economy today. The practices of fishing too much or too often result in a decrease of the fish population. Constant removal of fish from the oceans (fishing) accounts for both adult and baby fish. With the consistent decrease in adult fish, mating becomes more difficult or even impossible, resulting in an overall lack of fish in the oceans. Pepijn Koster defines overfishing as, "Overfishing can be defined in a number of ways. However, everything comes down to one simple point: Catching too much fish for the system to support leads to an overall degradation to the system. Overfishing is a non-sustainable use of the oceans." (par.1). When fish stocks cannot be replenished faster than they are being depleted, a reduction in fish population occurs, which is what is referred to as overfishing.
Due to the demand many packaging for the fish can find its was back to sea, or when fishermen are out at sea they can leave their garbage. Many nets from the boats and gears can also be found in the water, that fish can later see as food, eat it, and die; this ties back to extinction in fish. There is much pollution and decline stocks in fish because it is very hard to regulate the seas. To fulfill the growing demand for seafood, many companies are forced to fish beyond areas that are supposed to be non-fishing zones. This is because there are hardly any laws or restrictions telling them where they can and cannot fish. Sally Driscoll and Tom Warhol report in, ‘Overfishing’, that itt wasn’t until 1956 where we saw our first regulation, the United Nations organized the first UN Convention of the Law of the Sea or the NCLOS which helped promote rights of all countries by establishing boundaries off shore. Meaning that some seafood fished in certain areas of the ocean cannot be sold in certain countries, and in some areas it is illegal to fish unless you have a permit from that country. Economy also helps make it harder to regulate the seas, in ‘Overfishing’ it is explained that Preisdent Barack Obama brought up Antiquities Act of 1906, that let fishermen expand their fishing areas. The United Nations FAO estimates that 25 percent of all fish trapped in nets are labeled unusable or not licensed for fishing by the
For years corporations have been depleting the oceans of its wildlife for our benefit. However, one thing these corporations tend to not mention is the bycatch they encounter when catching fish for the purpose of consumption. The definition of bycatch “is the unintended capture of nontarget animals…”(Crowder and Murawski pg.1). Bycatch takes a negative toll on our ocean ecosystem that cannot be reversed.
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
In the real world, all this comes down to two serious problems. We are losing species as well as entire ecosystems. As a result, the overall ecological unity of our oceans is under stress and at risk of collapse. The affects the fish that is at the bottom of the food chain to overpopulate. If the fish that are at the bottom of the food chain overpopulate, the food they eat will become scarce This means that the fish that is at the bottom of the food chain will become extinct or endangered because of the lack of food. Another effect of overfishing that is fishing down the food chain. That will affect the species that are at the top of the food chain because the species that are at the bottom of the food is chain are important preys to them. That’s why fishers should be aware, that if they catch too much of the fish that is at the top of the food chain it will affect the whole system of predators and preys. If the fishers catch too much of fish, that’s at the top of the food chain, it would also affect the balance of predators and
The massive quantity of sharks harvested and lack of selection deplete shark populations faster than their reproductive abilities can replenish populations. Loss of sharks as a food staple for many developing countries threatens the stability of marine ecosystems. Not only is the finning of sharks barbaric, but their indiscriminate slaughter at an unsustainable rate is pushing many species to the brink of extinction since the 1970 the populations of several species have been decimated by over 95%. The ocean ecosystem is made up of very intricate food webs and sharks are at the top of these webs and are considered by scientist to be keystone species meaning the removing them cause the whole structure to
To fish or not to fish is a personal choice. The fact that the oceans are being overfished is a growing concern for individuals, organizations, and governments throughout the world. In this paper I want to discuss the effects of overfishing on the restaurant industry, and possible solutions to solve the problem. Fishing is an ongoing source of food for people around the world. In many countries it is a food staple in their everyday diet. In more modern societies eating fish has become a sensual experience, and not just for the wealthy. It hasn't been until population explosions in the last century that the demand for seafood has led to more effective fishing techniques and technologies. Now the demand for popular fish like the salmon, tuna, sea bass, cod and hoki, which is the key fish in McDonalds filet o' fish, is diving wild populations to dangerously low levels. The methods used to catch the amount of fish demanded by the industry do not leave sustainable populations in the wild. In an attempt to preserve the fish population, governments have set limits on the minimum size that may be harvested and how many of each may be taken. Boundaries have been set up saying which areas can be fished and which ones should be left alone. A number of smaller fisheries have gone out of business because of the limits imposed by the government. This leads to even less fish being harvested and brought to market. Therefore the amount and varieties of fish at markets are smaller and can cause shortages for wholesalers and restaurants. Some restaurants will no longer have the variety on their menus that they used to enjoy. If a restaurant thrives on its seafood menu they may be unable to cope with the shortages and will go out of business. In the ...
In the epoch of the Anthropocene, humankind is drastically changing the dynamic of life on Earth. Our oceans, in particular, face great danger. Technological advancements in fisheries is continuously increasing efficiency, making it easier to catch vast amounts of fish in short amounts of time. But, unfortunately, we are catching more than just the targeted species. As a result of technological advances, bycatch has emerged as a huge problem in fisheries around the world. We are depleting the oceans of the life that sustains us. According to the U.S. National Bycatch Report, in the United States alone, nearly two billion pounds of bycatch have been caught by the fishing industry (Karp, Desfosse & Brooke 2011). The National Marine Fisheries
Rupert Murray’s The End of the Line focuses on the depletion of the oceans fisheries and the devastating effects it has already begun to have on ecosystems and less affluent populations. The film opens with a description of the tribulations of Newfoundland. Once possessing waters so populous with cod that one could “walk across their backs in the water,” improved technology and larger fishing vessels began to deplete the fish stocks. Despite placing a moratorium on fishing in 1992, the fisheries had already been depleted to the point of complete collapse. Similar processes are occurring around the world, as only .6% of the ocean is restricted to fishing vessels. According to the film, much of the ocean’s catch has declined by 90%; the continuation of current trends if continue, stocks will collapse by 2048.
Lotze, Heike K., Marta Coll, Anna M. Magera, Christine Ward-Paige, and Laura Airoldi. "Recovery of Marine Animal Populations and Ecosystems." Trends in Ecology & Evolution 26.11 (2011): 595-605. Print.
Introduction Canned tuna quickly grew into one of the most popular seafood products in the United States due to low cost, and its source of protein; making it number two in the top ten consumed seafood products (Campling et al. 2007). The 'Secondary' of the 'Secondary' of the 'Secondary' of the 'Secondary' of the 'Secondary' of the 'Secondary' of the 'Secon Harvesting of the canned tuna species has raised significant ecological issues and concerns related to economic and environmental sustainability (WWF n.p). Types of Canned Tuna Species There are five main commercial tuna species: Albacore, Yellowfin, Bluefin, Big Eye, and Skipjack. The most commonly canned species though include the Albacore Tuna, the Yellowfin tuna species, and the Skipjack tuna species (Canned Tuna, 2014).