When will this end?
As more and more fisheries are faced with the collapse of large-fish populations, commerical fleets are "fishing down" farther and farther down the food chain for feasible catches. This has triggered a chain reaction that is negitively affecting the ancient and delicate ecosytems of the sea12. In addition to this, fishermen reach deeper and deeper with their trawlers scraping the ocean floor , which destroys its seabed and much of its life11.
According to a study of catch data published in 2006, it is predicted that if fishing rates conue with such speeds, all of the world's fisheries will have collapsed by the year 204812.
What is next?
Over the past 55 years, fisheries have returned with lower and lower yields per catch10. Humans are beginning to understand that the ocean is not meerly an 'unlimted' resource used soley for our own benefit, but instead a highly vulnerable and sensitive home for thousands of species. A picture of a system in crisis begins to emerge as we add pollution, climate change, habitat distruction, solid waste and acidification to the issue of overfishing.
Many scientists say that a majority of fish populations can be restored with strict encorcement of laws governing catches, agressive fisheries management, and increaed use of aquaculture12.
However, illegal fishing and unsustainable harvesting continues to plague the fishing industry. In addition to this, many cultures have incorporated seafood into their life; making it difficult for countries to implement fishing laws for species such as sharks and whales13.
With consumers who are acccustomed to abundant seafood, it complicates the effort to fish less and repair the damage humans have done thus far.
"Over 70% of the world’s fish stocks are either fully exploited or depleted"
-United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization
WHY OVERFISHING IS A PROBLEM
MARINE MAGAZINE 2014 JUNE EDITION
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