Maine’s Commercial Lobster Industry

The Tragedy of the Salmon The United States Pacific Northwest has historically been a significant player in the global fishing industry. However, over the last half-century, the fish population in the area has been declining at an alarming rate. Popular species of fish such as cod and salmon have been particularly susceptible to these decreases. What once was a region flourishing with abundant fish populations, is now in danger of being exploited to the point of extinction of certain species. The majority of these population drops is attributed to increased industrialization and overfishing in the region.

Human causes such as increased UV radiation from depleted ozone and bottom trawling disturbance were considered. Trawling disturbance had the worst effect while the other factors were questionable. As the cod vanished, the commercial fisher turned to squid to continue their way of life. Government policy and economics had a great deal to do with the continuing overfishing pattern of wiping out one species and then turn to another. In the end, there is no real solution which accommodates both ecology and unchanged societal uses at the same time.

The Harvesting of Sea Cucumbers in the Galapagos Islands Sea cucumbers in the Galapagos are being fished out illegally in spite of a four-year ban that is unsuccessfully enforced by the Ecuadorian government. Most sea cucumbers are dried and exported to Taiwan and Hong Kong. The waters off of mainland Ecuador have already been stripped of commercially valuable sea cucumbers. The controversy in the Galapagos involves the inability to sustain sea cucumber harvesting, and that the removal of millions of sea cucumbers will have detrimental effects on the food chain in the waters of the Galapagos. (Sullivan, 1999) Aside from the ecological damage, it is feared that these fishermen will go after other, rarer species when the sea cucumbers are depleted.

An estimated seventy million sharks are killed annually due to trade and many more sharks are also killed accidentally in fishermen's nets (Shark Conservation Through Legislation, 2001, http). Trade for fins, teeth, and jaws also result in thousand... ... middle of paper ... ...01). [Online]. <http://www.geocities.com/RainForest/Vines/1603/SHARKS.HTML> [2001, Oct. 29]. Shark Finning Prohibited in US Waters.

- Reprint of: Naylor, R., et al. “Effect of Aquaculture on World Fish Supplies.” Nature 29 June 2000. - Pauly, D. and Watson, R. “COUNTING THE Last Fish.” Scientific American July 2003: 289. - “Pros and Cons of Fish Farming.” USA Today Magazine June 2001: 129. Raeburn, P. “OVERFISHING THREATENS OCEAN’S RUTURE.” Business Week 4 March 2002: 73.

Through continued over fishing and lack of controls in place at the time, the fish stock depleted to the point the George’s Banks could no longer support the fisherman. As early as 1914, the Government was receiving reports from the U.S. Commissioner of Fisheries on the potential impact to unregulated fishing. By 1931, serious questions were being asked about the ability of the fish to be able to continue to meet the demands and ever-increasing fishing that was occurring in the area. By the 1980s, the fishing in the George’s Banks has almost become unprofitable. (www.nefc.noaa.gov, 2004) New England Fisheries The fishing off the coast of New England provided jobs for many people in the New England area.

The signing of the 1987 Chesapeake Bay Agreement marked the first joint vent... ... middle of paper ... ...able: http://www.virginia-beach.va.us/cityhall/planning/cbay.html (4 Nov. 1999). “Fish Health in the Chesapeake Bay: …Estimate of Seafood History Losses.” Available: http://www.mdsg.umd.edu/fish-health/pfiesteria/pfeconomics/sld005.html. (22 Nov. 1999). Glibert, Patricia M. and Daniel E. Terlizzi. “Nutrients, Phytoplankton, and Pfiesteria In the Chesapeake Bay.” Available: http://www.arec.umd.edu/policy/Pfiesteria/terlizzi/terlizzi.htm (22 Nov. 1999).

“You Can Succeed with Marines.” Tropical Fish Hobbyist. August 1999: 38-46. Paletta, Mike. “Water Changes.” SeaScope, Fall 1997, 3. Reefkeeper’s FAQ.

351-366. 20 Jul 2000. Record 4 ASFA: Aquatic Sciences and Fisheries Abstracts The environmental impact of an offshore aquaculture system in the Gulf of Gaeta: a first approach. Ceccarelli, R; Saluzzi, A; Fiore, V; Salerno, A; Barbera, G Biologia marina mediterranea. Genova [Biol.

Planning for Disasters in Hawaii (1999, August 20) FEMA, [http://www.fema.gov/reg-ix/1999/r9n17.htm] Beckard, E. S. (1997, January 9) Kauia's Economy Suffers as Scars from Hurricane Iniki Heal. Seattle Post-Intelligencer.