The Birth of Fish; The Death of Oceans

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The Birth of Fish; The Death of Oceans

Overview:

Life and death are themselves opposites; then again in our oceans, life sometimes causes death. Over the past few decades, the demand for edible seafood has sky rocketed, resulting in the formation of aquacultures and overfishing. As of now, the two greatest threats to our marine resources result from overfishing and water pollution. Commercial fishing targets key fish species, resulting in an imbalance of the marine ecosystem. In response to the near elimination of these species, an industry has developed to raise these species in farm communities. It was the initial belief of many that aquacultures would help offset the demand for more seafood. However, the result of fish farming has only contributed to the depletion of the fish population and to the pollution of the marine ecosystem.

With only limited regulations placed upon fishing companies, they are basically able to have free range over the oceans. Because of this, there have been severe effects on many fish species. Even with regulations such as the law of the sea, which states that a country bordering the ocean has rights to the fishing areas within two hundred nautical miles of its shores, there are considerable abuses. In Pauly and Watson’s article, it states that the preservation of the country’s fisheries is up to the country itself. The country may also give out rights to other countries to fish its waters. When this occurs, there is a great chance the fleets from other countries will attempt to “garner as much fish as they can” (Pauly, par. 7). These fleets will also have a disregard as far as the preservation of the marine habitat below such as the reefs (Pauly, Counting The Last Fish).

Overfis...

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...ctober 2003: 32.

- “FISH FARMING.” National Geographic July 2003: 110.

- “GROWING OUR OWN.” Current Science 19 December 2003: 9.

- Hayden, T. “Sharks in the soup.” U.S. News & World Report 16 February 2004: 136.

- Naylor, R. “The Costs of Fish Farming.” Wilson Quarterly Autumn 2000: 114-115.

- 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.

- Schrope, M. “Future of Corals is going down the pan.” New Scientist 10 August 2002:

175.

- Wagner, C. “More Trouble for Coral Reefs.” Futurist January/February 2004: 38.

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