The practice of fishing has been a major cause for decline of the marine species population. A common and important economic activity since ages, fishing does not cause damage to the oceans by itself; the problem arises when vessels catch fish at a rate that is higher than the rate at which stocks can naturally replace themselves. The phenomenon in question is referred to as 'overfishing'.
The negative effects of overfishing are not limited to the marine environment alone and can be seen in other environments as well. This is because marine environments are highly interconnected with one another.
Fish is the primary source of protein for billions of people worldwide, and fishing is a means of livelihood for millions.
Several factors are responsible for overfishing.
Overcapacity
There are currently around four million fishing vessels that operate on the oceans of the world, and many of them have expanded capacities in addition to enhanced operational efficiencies, enabling them to catch more fish than ever before. It is becoming increasingly likely that fishing will cause damage to the ocean ecosystem as the activity is multiplying at an alarming rate. The sustained pressure due to overfishing is most likely to lead to such a terrible scenario.
This capacity issue is one of the primary contributors to the challenges that marine fisheries are currently facing. These problems are a direct result of illegal fishing practices that have been carried out in the past, as well as excessive fishing that is currently taking place.
Illegal Fishing
Illegal fishing and trading contribute significantly to the problem of widespread overfishing. It is estimated that up to 30 per cent or more of the catches of high-value species are due to illegal fishing on a huge scale. In fact, this practice is responsible for some of the most detrimental consequences that humans have had on the ocean, and it also plays a role in some of the most pervasive forms of those effects. According to the estimations provided by industry professionals, illegal fishing can bring in a total of up to $36.4 billion annually. This type of fishing is also known as 'IUU' fishing, which stands for illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing. Due to lack of a system to track fish from the point of capture to the customer, which is referred to as 'traceability', and lack of import regulations in a significant portion of the industry, these illegal catches are distributed through supply chains that are not transparent.
Subsidies
The existence of subsidies, which are defined as money given to the fishing industry to help balance the costs of doing business, is another important thing that leads to overfishing. Subsidies can lead to deployment of too many fishing boats and also affect the costs to make a boat. Both of these things make it possible for fishing to continue even in those lean periods when it is not good for business. One instance of this is when fish are sold for more money than they would be without subsidies. The capacity of the current global fishing fleet is reportedly 2.5 times greater than what is necessary to catch what we actually need. This is a result of an increase in fishing boats worldwide.
Declining Wildlife
Years of destructive fishing practices that have been carried out over the course of several decades have caused depletion of vital fish species. In addition to the collateral consequences that have been felt by other forms of marine life, these practices have also brought about the precipitous depletion of fish species. Hundreds of thousands of marine mammals, seabirds, etc, are killed annually for their meat, in addition to the tens of millions of sharks killed annually for their meat and other items.
The wild populations of many of these species are considered to be in danger, and as a result, they have been accorded legal protection.
Degraded Ecosystems
If it is allowed to continue, overfishing will have a detrimental impact on the health of the ecosystems in which it occurs. It is probable that it will have an effect on the size of the fish that are still around, as well as the manner in which they reproduce and the speed at which they reach maturity. When a disproportionately large quantity of fish is taken from an ocean, it throws off the natural balance of the ecosystem and generates an imbalance. This imbalance has the potential to contribute to the degeneration of the food web as well as the extinction of other key marine life.
Food shortages destabilise economy
A growing number of companies and jobs are becoming increasingly reliant on declining fish stocks as a consequence of the ongoing increase in the global demand for fish. This is a problem because fish stocks are becoming increasingly scarce. Fish is one of the food commodities that is exchanged the most frequently all over the world, and the fish industry as a whole is responsible for a market value of 362 billion dollars all over the world. When there are fewer fish populations, there is a direct negative impact on the jobs and businesses that are located along the coast. This vicious cycle is made worse by the persistently high demand for seafood, which is a primary driver of both overfishing and environmental deterioration. The environment is being damaged as a direct result of overfishing. The vicious nature of this problem is made even worse by the fact that it is cyclical.
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