Commercial fishing poses many threats to the Oceans ecosystems if a renewable solution is not discovered and incentivised across the globe. The current rate at which fish are captured and consumed is unsustainable and results in habitat degradation, which is the process in which natural habitat is rendered unable to support the species present. In observing sustainable solutions one must acknowledge that sustainability is defined as “able to be maintained at a certain rate or level” (sustainable). At the current rate in which fish are being captured the commercial fishing industry is actually promoting overkilling of species within the oceans. Commercial fishing captures and kills an estimated “124 million metric tons, which is equivalent in …show more content…
Their net profit totals around 14 billion dollars that is circulated throughout the Japanese economy. With all the economic benefits that stem from commercial fishing, a practical solution would not be to ban all fishing, there would be a drastic decline in the quality of life of millions of people worldwide. Not only would the employees of said fishing industries become unemployed, but a large majority of the world would also need to seek a new source of protein seeing that the market for fishing supports 25-69% of all animal protein for all families across the globe (Pros and Cons of Commercial Fishing 2017). A practical solution to cap the current overfishing as a result from commercial fishing is Marine Protected Areas (MPA). Seeing as no current marine protected areas in effect in Japan it is a step in a positive direction in order to control commercial fishing rates. Some major issues with the current commercial fishing situation is sustainability, habitat degradation and species extinction which all can be monitored and have positive changes in the enforcement of Marine Protected Areas across the Japanese
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.
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
People should reduce fishing in Hawaii because the Monk Seal population is declining for the seals get entangled in the nets of the fishermen set out for other fish rather than the seals (Gravitz “Hawaiian Monk Seal”). Fishing is one reason that these wonderful seals are facing a decline in population. Fishing attracts seals who hope to get away with an easy meal. It is not everyday that seals get to feast on an amount of fish this gigantic. They venture close to the nets to capture stray fish. However, these seals sometimes find themselves trapped in the fishing nets. This leads to most of those seals getting killed off by the fishermen. Undoubtedly, fishing is one of the reasons that this beautiful seal is critically endangered, as well as starving.
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.
Countries, fisheries, and consumers all need to share the responsibility for conserving endangered marine life. First, governments should base their policies on scientific factors and should look for better economic incentives to stop fisheries from overfishing. Second, fisheries should use methods that are not so destructive to the fish population. Finally, consumers should avoid buying endangered seafood, even if they have to pay a little more. If these parties recognize that it is worthwhile to conserve marine species, then they must accept this responsibility.
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.
One of the most prominent marine hunting nations in the world is the Japanese. Commercial Whaling has been a big part of Japan’s industry and economy, since the 17th century, it has been one of the main sources of food for the Japanese people. During the 1900s, whales became an important part of the Japanese diet because it provided a lot of protein and was accessible to Japan during World War II when food was scarce. The year with the highest number of whales caught by Japan was in 1962 when 226,000 tons of whale meat was sold nationwide. In 1982 a decision was made by the International Whaling Commission that would ban commercial whaling in Japan, this was known as the moratorium that was finally enforced in 1986. Unfortunately the moratorium was only successful for a couple of years; shortly after Japan was able to hunt whales for :scientific research” which did not violate...
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
Crawford, Phil. “Pacific Island countries strive to save their tuna fisheries.” Pacific Ecologist 20 (2011): 42+. Academic OneFile. Web. 30 Oct. 2014.
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 a year, being one of the world’s most valuable. However, the coasts have not been treated with respect; overfishing, over consumption, and wasteful practices have deteriorated, not only the industry, but the ecosystems and fish populations. This is a huge global issue; the worldwide collapse of fisheries is projected for 2048.
Have you ever thought about going to the store and not being able to purchase certain food because you are only allowed to buy it at a certain time? Here in Hawaii, the government is trying to impose laws and restrictions on fishing sanctuaries throughout the Hawaiian Islands. Articles such as “Rights and Respects for Native Fishing,” “Native Hawaiians And Streams,” and “Ancient Hawaiians Caught More by Fishing Less” discuss overfishing, and I use them to analyze my thoughts on the rights of Native Hawaiian fishing and preservation of marine life.
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 ...
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
Overfishing is the most major problem related to oceans, but it is also the most overlooked. Fishing has been going on for thousands of years, and fish have always been seen as a renewable resource, that would replenish itself forever for our benefit. But around the world there is evidence that fish are not recove...
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).”