It is important to understand, what is overfishing? Overfishing means catching of too many fish from water bodies at once in such a way that the remaining adults are unable to recover the population to healthy level. Overfishing occurs in water bodies like rivers, lakes, pond and oceans. It results in resource depletion and low biomass level which reduce biological growth rate and decline number of species. This cause issues in ecosystem and affect the stability of environment.
More than 650,000 mammals die due to fisheries bycatch ever year. In recent decades level of overfishing is increasing that number of over fished stock is three times higher than in 1970. Overfishing is thought to be one of the major cause of loss of ocean biodiversity. According to research about 90% of seafood will be reduced by 2050.
More than 3 billion people depends on seafood protein all over the world. It shows the importance of aquatic life in our life. Intensive fishing disturbs marine ecosystem. main issue is that overfishing is reducing marine biodiversity in the ocean which is harm full for environment because every specie is important for the health of earth. Many policies have been made to protect marine life.
jump to a specific section
- 1 what is overfishing and how it is affecting marine ecosystem?
- 1.1 The Decline of Other Marine Animals Is Caused by Overfishing
- 1.2 Dead Zones in the Sea or Lake
- 1.3 Negative Subsidies Encourage Overfishing
- 1.4 Fishing place a high value in many cultures
- 1.5 The main causes of overfishing
- 1.6 The effects of excessive fishing
- 1.7 Possible remedies for excessive fishing
- 1.8 Conclusion:
what is overfishing and how it is affecting marine ecosystem?
Catching of unwanted marine life while fishing that it can not be replenish naturally is called overfishing. Due to customer demand specific species of fish are targeted regularly which means reducing the essential member from food chain. Most important fishing specie is tuna. During large scale fishing operation large number of fish are captured at once which means to reduce reproducing adults at a time. This result in the depletion of fish population. Herbivorous fish are essential for the health of coral reef because they balance the algae and other species from overpopulating.
The Decline of Other Marine Animals Is Caused by Overfishing
When there is less fish in the ocean it cause destruction of other food sources and affect the whole aquatic life. As a result of overfishing a lot of animals become bycatch especially when trawling is used because it capture all the animals in its path. Overfishing has put one-third of all sharks, rays, and related species in danger.
Dead Zones in the Sea or Lake
Those regions in the lake or oceans where level of oxygen is low and most animals can not survive are called dead zones. Dead zones results from damage to the ecosystem biodiversity. Overfishing can be the cause of dead zones because removal of important species like cod upset the balance of ecosystem and can increase non-essential algae. When algae increases in marine ecosystem it decrease the level of oxygen in it. There are more than 400 dead zones in the ocean all over the world.
Due to inadequate management of sectors ,fishing is causing detrimental impacts on the environment and economy. It is very difficult to enforce law in ocean because of no borders. The huge economic benefits of the fishing sector make governments unwilling to crack down on illegal fishing.
Negative Subsidies Encourage Overfishing
To promote economic expansion subsidies are utilized in particular industries. Because these subsidies support industries that cannot profit without them. According to research, more than $20 billion in subsidies were spent globally in 2018 to finance overfishing-causing unsustainable fishing methods. Fish stocks are low in part because of this unsustainable practice.
Fishing place a high value in many cultures
A lot of civilizations and societies relies on fishing in order to survive for long time. Fishing is not a problem on small scale practice as they use expertise and experiences and do not damage the natural ecosystem.
In order to maximize profit businesses destroy habitat of marine animals which lead to suffering of biodiversity. Overfishing puts ocean ecosystems and the billions of people who depend on seafood as a major source of protein at risk.
The main causes of overfishing
The main causes of overfishing are a variety of human-caused factors that lead to unsustainable fishing practices. some of the main causes of overfishing are given below,
- Due to technological advancements and increased numbers of fishing vessels fishing fleets overcapacity which allow them to catch fish at higher rates that it can not be recovered naturally.
- Inadequate policies and regulations can result in uncontrolled fishing.
- Fishing in restricted areas, and catching undersized or protected species takes place outside of legal and regulatory frameworks and includes unreported catches. This is Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated (IUU) fishing.
- Changing dietary preferences and increasing populations demand for seafood continues to rise. This high demand motivates more fishing efforts, leading to overexploitation of fish stocks.
- Bycatch is to capture non-target species unintentionally is also major cause of overfishing. .it leads to unnecessary waste and ecological disruptions. It is also harmful for endangered species.
- Without accurate information, it is difficult to set appropriate catch limits and conservation measures. Inadequate data on fish populations and fishing activities can inhibit effective fisheries management.
- Fishing techniques, such as bottom trawling and dynamite fishing, can cause significant damage to marine habitats and ecosystems that leads to reduce fish populations and biodiversity.
The effects of excessive fishing
Following are some major effects of overfishing:
Fish stocks depletion: Overfishing puts some species at risk of overexploitation or even extinction. overfishing may cause some fish species to disappear, reducing their effect on biodiversity and the variety of marine life in the affected areas.
Modified marine ecosystems: Mass eradication of fish can upset the predator-prey dynamics and food webs in marine ecosystem.
Effects on non-target species: Overfishing can cause extinction of endangered species like seabirds, dolphins, and turtles.
Food security: overfishing is a threat to global food security. As fish is a major source of protein for millions of people globally. Due to decline of fish stock food source can be more expensive and less available.
Destroying habitats: Some fishing methods can harm marine ecosystems, coral reefs, and seafloor habitats.
Possible remedies for excessive fishing
Overfishing is a global issue which can destroy marine biodiversity and ecosystem. It also harmful for people who rely on fish as food and income. here are some possible remedies for excessive fishing.
Use of techniques and equipment for selective fishing should be encouraged. It will reduce bycatch and can be protective for non targeted and endangered species.
Marine protected areas should be created for fish populations that serve as sanctuaries to reproduce and grow in healthy environment.
Coordinated conservation efforts should be implemented to address fishing in shared water and try to collaborate with other countries.
Certainly! Here’s the information in table form:
| Solution/Effort | Description |
|---|---|
| Sustainable Fishing Practices | Adoption of practices such as setting catch limits, using selective fishing gear, and implementing seasonal closures. Certification programs like MSC help consumers choose sustainable seafood. |
| Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) | Designated ocean regions with restricted human activities to preserve marine ecosystems. MPAs help rebuild fish stocks and protect habitats like coral reefs and seagrass beds. |
| International Regulations and Agreements | Global and regional agreements, such as UNCLOS and RFMOs, regulate fishing practices, set quotas, and enforce regulations to combat illegal fishing and ensure sustainable management of fish stocks. |
| Community and Industry Initiatives | Local management programs and industry investments focus on sustainable practices tailored to regional needs. Innovations include selective fishing gear and improved data collection. |
| Public Awareness and Advocacy | Campaigns and advocacy efforts raise awareness about overfishing and promote sustainable seafood choices and stronger conservation measures. Organizations and individuals work to inform and influence public and policy action. |
Conclusion:
Overfishing is excessive removal of fish from water bodies during fishing operations that it can not be recovered to its population naturally. Overfishing is a global problem. It is destroying ecosystem as well as marine life. Fishing is source of food protein and income for people who depend on fishing industry.
It is very important to reduce overfishing. Because if we are not controlling overfishing, specific specie of fish will be endangered that is great loss for whole marine ecosystem. For example if herbivorous fish are continuously captured it lead to increase algae in water bodies. This algae reduce level of oxygen in water and affect all aquatic animals. This can also create dead zones in water where aquatic animals can not survive.
we can control overfishing in many ways. For example we should encourage selective fishing by modern techniques and fishing gears. we should create marine protected areas that serve to reproduce specie in natural environment.