Overfishing1
Overfishing occurs when the fish of the world’s oceans are caught faster than they can reproduce. After recent research, reports indicate that over 90% of the fish population has been decimated by heavy commercial fishing from within the last half century. Fish, such as tuna and swordfish, are believed to be near extinction. These fish were once in abundance throughout the waters, but seem to be disappearing as a result our impact on these species. As the world’s population continues to increase, the demand for fish increases as a result. However, there will never be enough fish to supply all these people’s demands. This is something that strongly needs to be recognized. Overfishing is not just affecting the fish population, but affects the entire food chain. Marine birds and mammals rely on fish as their food supply, so by reducing the fish population, it is in turn affecting a giant food web by tremendously and intentionally destructing it (Koster, 2007). Overfishing is not just damaging marine animals and fish, but is tampering with the food supply of millions of people (Nuttall, 2007).
Nevertheless, the damage that the human factors have impacted on the aquatic life is reversible. There are various approaches and techniques that can be used in accordance to restoring order back into the marine kingdom. The first step is to take legal action within our legislation. Promoting the idea that commercial fishing boats need restrictions allows us to make a statement that sustainable living within the marine environment is possible as long as the necessary action is taken accordingly. Limits should be executed on the amount of fish to be fished out of the ocean. There are techniques that can be put into place that help prevent the killing of unnecessary fish and marine animals that suffer, but are not even a target of fisherman. Restricted fishing zones can be put into place where “no fishing” is allowed. This will, in turn, help reconstruct the ecosystem and prevent biological extinctions. Implementing laws may help, but it will take enforcing them to make a difference, as any law that is not enforced is bound to be broken. Legal enforcement is a must, as all laws need to be strongly monitored and enforced in order to prevent uneconomic cheating to occur. In the end, if actions are taken into our own hands, then we can once more someday have a healthy and productive environment that is thriving and sustainable.
The solutions for these issues are necessary, but won’t come easily. Environmentalists will view these tactics in a positive manner, as they also believe that something needs to be done about it. Jeremy Jackson of the Scripps Institute of Oceanography is one of those people who believe that there is a dire, necessary need to restore order back to the marine environment. On the other hand, a negative viewpoint can be seen from the plans, as though the laws may be someday receive “congressional approval”, the environmentalists have yet to win true victory, as Jeremy Jackson quoted, “… and it would take all the Navies of the world to pretend to enforce those regulations…” (Overfishing Video, 2007).
However, it is the fisherman who will take the hardest blow, as this is their life and their income. Drastic cuts to the amount of fishing allowed will greatly decrease their revenue, and at the same time, increase their frustration and anger. These decisions are essential to the safety, protection, and growth of these fish population’s survival from extinction. Though they may essentially upset and hurt some people, think of the “hurt”, per say, that we are doing to these mass amounts of aquatic life. It is not just the fish that are being affected, but the whole world in a whole, as without fish, major consequences will arise. Yet, it is not to say that the commercial fisherman will not view these new implements in a positive manner. As to quote Pete Dupuis from the video, “Let’s address the problem, and take care of the problem. And I don’t think there’s a commercial fisherman that wouldn’t want to do that, because we want to stay in business, and we want a renewable resource. And it can be one, from now until whenever.” (Overfishing Video, 2007).. There must be a balance for the needs of both the environmentalists and the fisherman. A balance of power should coexist between the two.
Not only will the jobs of commercial fishermen be affected, but also of those in the community that subsist within the fish market. As swordfish is sold at $4 a pound, it will be quite a price cutback to those who buy the fish from the commercial fishermen, such as those who own fish businesses in the market, or even those in restaurants that buy prized fish for their meals. The principles of supply and demand will come into play here, as the decrease of a good, here being fish, begins to exist, the price of the goods for consumers will then, in turn, begin to increase drastically, as it becomes limited or scarce within the market. Many will be affected, but nothing is compared to that of the fish population, which will once more have a chance to freely roam the Oceans, reproducing for decades, even centuries, until the marine environment is once more far from extinction, especially large fish such as tuna and swordfish.
Scientists who study this particular problem all have one major point in agreement: these fish will soon become extinct without intervention. I will leave you with a quote by Dr. Daniel Pauly, who describes future [without human interference] in a conclusive way. “…The big fish, the bill fish, the groupers, the big things will be gone. It is happening now. If things go unchecked, we'll have a sea full of little horrible things that nobody wants to eat. We might end up with a marine junkyard dominated by plankton.”
Reference Page
Koster, P (2007). Overfishing - A Global Disaster. Retrieved June 30, 2008, from Overfishing.org Web site:
Nuttall, N (2007). Overfishing: A Threat To Marine Biodiversity. Retrieved June 30, 2008, from UN Web site:
(2007). Overfishing Video. Retrieved June 30, 2008, from University of Phoenix Web site: