What is over fishing?
Fishing with a sufficiently high intensity to reduce the breeding stock levels to such an extent that they will no longer support a sufficient quantity of fish for sport or commercial harvest or basically fishing too much to the point of extremely low population of adult fish.Why is it a major concern?
Over fishing means you are fishing more than nature can produce. 3/4 of the world's fish stocks are being harvested faster than they can reproduce. Eighty percent are already in decline. Ninety percent of all large predatory fish – including tuna, sharks, swordfish, cod and halibut – are gone. Scientists are showing that if we continue with what we are currently doing, the fishing industry will collapse by the year 2050. Here are some staggering facts:
- Modern fishing vessels catch more than 108 million tons of fish yearly and 8 to 25% of this is discarded overboard; dead or alive
- This means up to 27 million fish are thrown out each year
- Equivalent to 600 fully filled Titanic
- Dead victims are not only fish
- Every year, an estimated 300,000 whales, dolphins, and porpoises die entangled in fishing nets, along with sea turtles
- Long line fisheries also kill seabirds
- Over fishing is responsible for endangering many sea life
How does it effect our daily life?
Coastal communities around the world depend on fish as their primary source of protein. Overfishing threatens their long-term food security in many countries.This in turn has impacts on the rest of the marine ecosystem. An example would be an increase of growth of algae in the coral reefs. For people who enjoy fish or seafood (me), this could lead to a huge impact on the amount or consumption we as society would be able to have.
How can you and I help?
For one thing, you must take action. We can protect our oceans and marine sources by urging the President and the Senate to work to ratify the Law of the Sea Convention which will help give the community a better chance to work together to help preserve our fragile ocean and marine ecosystems and environments.
Coastal communities around the world depend on fish as their primary source of protein. Overfishing threatens their long-term food security in many countries.This in turn has impacts on the rest of the marine ecosystem. An example would be an increase of growth of algae in the coral reefs. For people who enjoy fish or seafood (me), this could lead to a huge impact on the amount or consumption we as society would be able to have.
How can you and I help?
For one thing, you must take action. We can protect our oceans and marine sources by urging the President and the Senate to work to ratify the Law of the Sea Convention which will help give the community a better chance to work together to help preserve our fragile ocean and marine ecosystems and environments.
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