Humans are depleting the earth’s natural resources. We are using our resources at an unsustainable rate. One of our greatest resources is now beginning to deplete because of our growing population. This resource provides for us food, climate regulation, economy, transportation, and medicine. This very valuable resource is the ocean. By over fishing, certain fishing practices, marine pollution and habitat destruction we are diminishing our most valuable natural resource. The ocean provides for us many valuable resources we cannot replace, therefore we need to make a change.
“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...
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...habitat destruction. By removing subsidies on fertilizer use this would reduce the issue with marine dead zones. Legislative protection on vital ecosystem areas such as coral reefs will protect the environment. By making small changes as listed above we can begin the process of preserving the ocean. The ocean provides for us many valuable resources we cannot replace, therefore we need to make a change.
Works Cited
Overfishing. National Geographic.com. Retrieved November, 24, 2013, from http://www.nationalgeographic.com
Destructive Fishing. Marine Conservation.org. Retrieved November, 27, 2013, from http://marine-conservation.org
Garces. M. Diego. Marine Problems: Pollution. WWF.org. Retrieved November 27, 2013, from http://wwf.panda.org
Threat 5: Habitat destruction. SaveOurSeas.com. Retrieved November, 27, 2013, from http://saveourseas.com
Overfishing may have some benefits to it, but does it out way the negatives? By fulfilling our demand we can wipe out our whole oceans! Not just the fish, but water mammals too. Sure it can create jobs, but as what cost? It can help bring up our economy, but at the same time it can bring it down with many fish companies closing down due to lack of profit. Fish is a great source of nutrients, but too much can kill you! In other words, fish can be both beneficial and harmful to not only humans, but everyone and everything surrounding fish. There are three things people can do to help with overfishing, the first thing is to be aware of what you are eating. Is the fish on the fear of extinction list? Also asking yourself is the fish you’re about to eat really the fish you intend to eat? Another thing to ask is, was it shipped over seas? If it was it doesn’t benefit anyone, it won’t help the economy or you. Many fish shipped from a long ways creates pollution and may have lost its nutrients value from the long voyage. One last thing to do is if you see a sewer with a sign leading to the ocean, try not to leave trash near it, or better yet don’t litter at all! All the litter left out on streets or near sewers can cause pollution in oceans, lakes, and rivers which is very harmful for marine life. You can still enjoy fish, but not at such a high demand as
Earth's oceans make up over 75% of the Earth as a whole. With that being said, it is vital to understand the significance on the contents of the oceans. Since fish and marine products make up a large portion of our diet, fishing practices need to be properly managed. In this essay, overfishing will be defined, its consequences will be revealed, and plans for proper fish distribution will be executed.
Ocean Pollution is a serious issue in today's global politics. The delicate balance of Earth's ecosystem is put in jeopardy when the ocean is not clean. Problem evolving from ocean pollution directly harm marine life and indirectly affect human health and the Earth's many valuable resources. Ocean Pollution is a Broad term that encpompasses any and all foregin matter that directly or indirectly makes its way into the ocean. This includes everything from the extreme: oil spills, Toxic Waste dumping and industrial dumping-- to the small scael: human activities and basic carelessness. Because the oceans and all other water bodies are invariably, somehow connected, and because they account for 3/4 of the Earth's surface, they are an ideal method of transportation for pollution, allowing the rapid spread of seemingly far away toxins into a river near you! It is increasingly important that we educate ourselves as to what, exactly, ocean pollution is, so that we can identify the causes at their source and take action in small and large ways, and hopefully, prevent this terrible form of pollution from getting any worse than it is today.
Overfishing is defined as a form of overexploitation where fish stocks are brought down to unacceptable levels. In the UN Food and Agriculture Organization’s 2 yearly report (SOFIA), it states how over half of the fish stocks, worldwide, are fully exploited. Other research has shown it only takes 10-15 years of industrial fishing to obliterate a tenth of the intended specie. Overfishing causes a ripple effect that hurts the entire ecosystem. The balance of chain depends largely on the interaction between the predator and the prey. For example, if the larger fish are removed than its prey begins to overpopulate, due to the lack of population control. The balance in the oceans are a urgent problem, around 90% of predatory fish stocks are depleted. The ripples can extend even further to land creatures like
Overfishing is a harmful practice, that will eventually lead to the collapse of aquatic ecosystems, if it’s not dealt with promptly. Overfishing emerges from the combination of our over consumptive society mixed with the great profits that come from hauling in a good catch. The consumers demand for fish in Japan seems to be at an increasingly high rate due to the enjoyment and cultural values that arise from sushi and other traditional dishes involving seafood. Approximately 23 percent of Japan’s protein intake comes from the ocean, and as a nation consumes 7.5 million tonnes of seafood annually. CITATION
Water pollution has had devastating effects on the environment, which include irreversible effects on the oceans ecosystem. People often underestimate the importance of the ocean. They don’t realize how much damage pollution has caused to the ocean and the thousands of creatures that inhabit it. Earth is a huge place, but resources are actually very limited and will not last forever unless there is a balance. We must protect the resources we have in order for them to last into the next generation.
Our oceans take a large beating every day by the extremely large amount of pollution humans produce. Our society easily dumps their waste into the oceans to dispose of the excessive amount of garbage, sewage, and chemicals, but this small and simple solution is creating an even bigger problem. The way humans dispose of their wastes is causing the death of our beloved marine life. Not only are we killing off our animals, our food source, and our resources, we are also minimizing our usable water. By having a better understanding of the problem on the severe dumping, it will be easier to find ways to help minimize the pollution that is going into the ocean.
Imagine a world without a sustainable fish population, and an overall decline of the marine inhabitants. “In 2014, twenty six fish stocks were on the overfishing list, meaning the annual rate of catch is too high, and thirty seven were on the overfished list, meaning the population size is too small” (Driscoll and Warhol 1). With an increasing demand of fish, and the over average consumption, the fish population may vanish. Without added laws or restrictions on the amount of fish captured, human dominion will reach the sea. Although overfishing can create more job opportunities, the federal government should regulate the catch loads of commercial fishing because it can cause changes the ecosystems, create a dent in marine life, and overfishing is not a sustainable practice.
Overfishing, a situation which occurs when the rate of fish that is caught is higher than the rate of reproduction of the species, is a global problem with serious economic, social and environmental implications. Every day, billions of people across the globe depend on seafood for a source of nutrition and income. Every organism in the food chain also depends on the survival of the other. However, as more and more people are making these seafood delicacies part of their diet, our oceans face the threat of running out of its supply of edible sea creatures.
Oceans are such so vast that people underestimate the impact their actions —seeming so insignificant— have on them. Humans have by and large taken the oceans for granted; not considering how important a healthy ocean is to our survival. A popular mind-set is that the oceans are a bottomless supply of fish, natural resources, and an infinite waste dump. There are myriad reasons why the oceans should be saved and the most obvious one is marine life. With 71% of the Earth being covered by water, it is obvious that sea creatures are predominant form of life, making up 80% of the species of life on Earth. However, as important as marine life is, that is not the only reason why saving the oceans is crucial. The ocean floor provides natural resources such as, oil, natural gas, petroleum, minerals, medications, and ingredients for foods and products. The economic benefits of the oceans are huge and significant, as well. Fishing and fish products have provided employment to 38 million people and have generated about $124 billion in economic benefits. However, oceans are on the verge of crisis, marine life, natural resources, transportation, the economy, and important ingredients are at risk due to overfishing, pollution, and acidification. Thus, in this essay I will argue that, oceans are not impervious to human activity and threatening the health of the ocean threatens the health of humanity, since oceans key to our survival.
Did you know that more than 90 percent of all organisms that have ever lived on Earth are extinct? According to Pandey, the author of Humans Pushing Marine Life toward ‘Major Extinction’, nearly 10,000 species go extinct each year, and this rate is estimated to be 1,000 times higher than the natural extinction rate (1). Human beings are causing irreversible damage to the oceans and their wildlife, which is being led by two major reasons: Commercial fishing or over-fishing, which damaged the marine environment and caused a loss in the marine life diversity, and pollution, which is a primary way of the extinction causes that drastically modifies the marine life habitat. As a result of the commercial fishing and pollution, many of the marine species will start disappearing of the oceans. Briggs emphasizes that over-fishing “has induced population collapses in many species. So instead of having less than a hundred species at risk, as was the case some 30-40 years ago, there are now a thousand or more (10).”
Throughout history, the survival of mankind has revolved around consuming and devouring anything and everything within its clutches. Whether it be hunting animals or gathering wild berries, mankind has carried its ravenous existence throughout its time on Earth. Lately an issue has risen from the depths of our history. An issue that has never been proposed as a problem thus far, but as mankind has realized with the increased desire for oil. Nothing lasts forever. Mankind as a population has grown exponentially in the past century, and with increased numbers, brings increased desire. These desires manifest into hunger and with hunger comes destruction. Mankind has taken to the oceans to cure this hunger, and as a result, many species of fish dwindling in numbers. A phenomenon known as “overfishing” will increase from an issue, to a threat if mankind as a species does not change their ways. Overfishing has become a major threat to the ocean and must be dealt with quickly because it can damage species population, it endangers the ecosystem, and will ultimately cause the collapse of the world’s fisheries.
Although fishing supports the economy and helps feed the people within it, the risk to marine biodiversity is not worth it. Without our protection, fish species are at risk of extinction. We need healthy oceans and fishing industry so future generations have income and food. We as humans can decrease overfishing by limiting the amount of fish we eat, educating others on the effects of overfishing and finding fishing methods that limit by-catch. Our marine system needs environmental laws, policies and safeguards that state how much fishing is legal. It will require a collective effort to solve this problem and successfully replenish our oceans and restore its ecological balance. In the words of Mahatma Gandhi, “there’s enough on this planet for everyone’s needs but not for everyone’s
The oceans need to be protected because it is where life began and if not taken care of, life as we know it will end. When dangerous substances go into the ocean, ecosystems are suffer and become endangered along with lives of people and of marine life. Surfrider Foundation recognizes the importance of protecting and preserving the quality and biodiversity of the world's coasts because they are truly irreplaceable. There is also historical evidence of ocean pollution being present in the past, but the problem still lingers today. Heal the Bay discovered that,“Did you know there is a DDT and PCB hot spot off the coast of Palos Verdes? This superfund site (which indicates it's one of the most polluted places in the United States), is left over from a 1930's era chemical plant. Because DDT takes so long to break down in the marine environment, it persists to this day, contaminating certain species of fish. There are also highly polluted sediments in the Long Beach area, a sign of the heavy shipping in the port. Heal the Bay works on developing effective capping and removal plans to keep those toxins from spreading” (Heal the Bay). DDT is still highly concentrated in the South Bay area and still contaminating different species of fish. Even after more than 80 years DDT, a toxic insecticide, is still very concentrated and during upwellings, DDT particles come back up and continue to harm marine life. If humans are careless about what is thrown on the floor or sprayed on lawns, it can lead to disastrous affects when it comes to the condition of the ocean's ecosystems, and can endanger life itself leading to a problem that only we can mend.
Oceans are “one of the five large areas of salt water that cover much of the Earth's surface ”.( http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ocean ). The oceans are becoming more dangerous than before; because of the pollutions and damages that are not happening by accident. it has affected some fishes, and soon it will affect us if we didn’t help to protect the ocean. All of us depend on the oceans, because it will save our livelihoods, and our well being that we need, also it will provide a healthy food for us. The oceans can be protected and saved by taking care of it, educating our self about oceans and marine life, and reduce using plastic products.