Overfishing

One of the most serious issues that the ocean faces is overfishing. Throughout history people have taken as much as they wanted from the ocean. When there were less people on our planet, the ocean was able to renew and keep up with human demand for fish and other edible animals. Today, for over half of the 6 billion people on Earth, fish is their primary source of protein. Most of this fish comes from the ocean. The global fleet employs modern technology such as space age tracking equipment, large nets to scrap the ocean floor and longlines that can be 60 miles long to try to keep up with the demand. Over the past 50 years, however, due to this increased demand and advancements in fishing technology, it has become possible to take more catch from the ocean than it is able to replenish.

It is estimated that 90% of the large fish have been taken from the ocean. Unless there is enough population to reproduce, they are on the path to extinction. The scarcity of many of the large fish has led the global fleet to target smaller fish lower on the marine food web. 

        Can the Ocean Keep Up With the Hunt? video

This video is found at You Tube: Can the Ocean Keep Up With the Hunt? It is an except from the video Empty Oceans, Empty Nets. The next two videos available right after this one, on the slider at the bottom of the video screen - Parts 2 and 3 of this series, are also good sources of information. 

Another serious issue related to fishing is bycatch. Bycatch is the untargeted ocean life that is caught in addition to the target species. Every year, 20 million metric tons of this unwanted marine life is caught. Most of it is discarded as waste, often tossed back into the sea. Depending on the fishing method used, the amount of bycatch can be staggering. Shrimp trawlers have some of the highest proportions of bycatch, with an average of 5 pounds of untargeted marine species for every pound of shrimp worldwide. However, in some places around the world, in excess of 20 pounds of bycatch is caught to obtain one pound of shrimp.  This is because the shrimp net is scraped across the ocean floor, scooping up bottom dwellers, like sea stars, skates, juvenile fish, seahorses, sea fans and many other creatures along with the shrimp.

Longlines with up to 60 miles of baited hooks can also be detrimental. The enticing lures attract unintended visitors such as sea turtles, sharks, juvenile fish and other untargeted marine species.

This photo can be found on the NOAA website. Photo caption “A fishing boat’s haul includes the targeted fish species, as well as bycatch: a sea turtle, crabs, and sand dollars that were caught unintentionally. Certain fishing gear, such as turtle excluder devices can help decrease bycatch.”

By learning where the seafood you eat comes from and supporting industries that utilize sustainable fishing practices you can make a difference. Click here to find out How You Can Help.