Fishing is one of the most critical ways that we as human beings get our source of food. Filled with omega-3 fatty acids, eating fish helps keep our heart and brain healthy. It is a practice that has been around almost as long as we have. However, our rapidly growing population creates a great demand on rivers and lakes which then forms dire problems in our environment. While catching fish itself is not inherently bad for the ocean, when fish are caught faster than they can reproduce, something called over-fishing takes place.
Over-fishing, in simple words, is the removal of a species of fish from a body of water at a rate that the species cannot replenish, resulting in those species becoming underpopulated in that area. It can occur in any water body such as ponds, rivers, lakes, and oceans. According to OCEANA, "it can result in resource depletion, reduced biological growth rates and low biomass levels."
Systematic over-fishing only continues to worsen as illegal catch and trade transpire. Illegal fishing is a key driver of global over-fishing. It threatens marine ecosystems, puts food security and regional stability at risk, and is linked to major human rights violations and even organized crime. You may be wondering what illegal fishing actually is. To answer that, illegal fishing is unregulated and unreported fishing that takes place without concern for the environment. Estimated to be worth $10-23.5 billion annually, it threatens the sustainability of fish populations, ecosystems and the livelihoods of those who fish legitimately. An example is when big cooperate companies send large vessels to drag nets across the ocean floor and collect as much fish possible in restricted areas. This results in the food supply of coastal communities to diminish as fish populations decline due to over-fishing in areas fishers are not permitted to access. Overall, it causes both environmental and economic issues.
The affects of over-fishing are disastrous. There is no doubt about it. Like I said before, the environment is one of the most effected by this parlous practice. Over-fishing can impact entire ecosystems. It can change the size of fish remaining, as well as how they reproduce and the speed at which they mature. When too many fish are taken out of the ocean, it creates an imbalance that can erode the food web and lead to the loss of other important marine life, including vulnerable species like sea turtles and corals. Another major aspect that is affected by over-fishing is the economy. I talked about this a little before, but as demand for fish continues to grow, that means more businesses and stock are dependent on this dwindling resource. When fish disappear, so does the thousands of jobs and sources of income which depend on them. The World Wildlife Foundation states, "High demand for seafood continues to drive over-exploitation and environmental degradation, exacerbating this circular problem."
Now there are MANY more points I could dive into to further explain the consequences of over-fishing. For example, bycatching, seafloor disruption, and fish regulations, but that is for another day. I want to end this rather lengthy post by talking about the ways YOU can help stop over-fishing. Now I'm not saying to turn to vegetarianism and forswear fish, but to try to buy your food from local businesses instead or large corporations. Or, supporting non-profit organizations like WWF and MSC, who work toward stopping illegal fishing and over-fishing. Like I always say, we are the future. If we want the world we live in to be a better place, we need to work toward that together. We need to stand for what is right.
-SR