Sustainable fishing has always been something to consider when creating size and number limits on specific fish but it hasn’t been until recently that these fishing limits have become a priority. This article basically went into depth about the dangers of overfishing and the short and long term consequencs that could result. Many people whether they realize it or not over fish and unbalance the natural selection of the local marine ecosystem on Cape Cod and it could have dire consequences.
First off sustainibility is defined as the practice of living on earth in a way that allows humans to use resources without depriving future generations of those resources. Recently commercial fisherman have been doing anything but this with a reckless disregard for future generations of people and fish populations. Specifically on Cape Cod, the codfish itself has become somewhat of a rarity. Once plentiful beyond belief this fish has been so overfished its price has gone up and its population has decreased drastically.
Many principles of natural selection and mutual relationships learned in this class have been violated by this rapid fishing. We are fishing at a higher rate than these fish can reproduce. At this rate there may be no cod left 20 years from now. Second, It could devastate the local marine ecosystem. Every plant and animal in a local ecosystem is vital to continue its role in nature to preserve the balance of things and keep populations in check through natural selection.
The Essay on Ocean Fisheries Fish Fishing Species
Most people are familiar with the problems of the blue whale, efforts to save endangered sea turtles, and the many tragic tales of dolphins dying in tuna nets. Many people do not realize the extreme danger that tuna and many other fish face. There is an alarming decline in fish populations, and this poses a dangerous threat to life in the ocean. If fish decline, so does the sea, into and unstable ...
By over fishing species like striped bass and cod, other species like plankton might skyrocket while sharks and other predators will begin to starve and go hungry. Many local fisherman will begin to lose their jobs as there won’t be as many fish out there to satisfy the numbers they need to support their lives and it will effect our local ecomomy. This reminds me a lot of the eco footprint test we took earlier this year and how it showed how I consume more resources than there are in the world per person. Last, it will have a global impact.
Many of these predatory species will migrate and travel to new regions looking for different fish species to prey on only to then effect a new local ecosystem. Like any exotic species being introduced there is usually an uninteded irreprable consequence that becomes evident soon there after. Not only will Cape Cod be affected but other nearby marine ecosystems will soon feel the effects as well. Many primary consumer fish species will slowly decline as will the secondary comsumers and predators while producers numbers will skyrocket.
Fish prices will jump to unreasonable prices in its scarcity and the government will be forced to act and spend additional money on protecting and replenishing the endangered species of fish. Plus with such an unbalanced fish population the phosphorus cycle would be interrupted. This domino effect is a real possibility if people don’t respect the fishing size and number regulations and sart doing it sooner rather than later.
