Overfishing | Save Our Seas Foundation One in five people on this planet depends on fish as the primary source of protein. —Food and Agriculture Organization "We are in the situation where 40 years down the line we, effectively, are out of fish." —Pavan Sukhdev, UN Environment Programme Overview Overfishing occurs when fish and other marine species are caught faster than they can reproduce. Sustainable fishing The statistics are grim: 3/4 of the world's fish stocks are being harvested faster than they can reproduce. The most prized species are already disappearing. Case study: Atlantic bluefin tuna They can weigh over half a ton, grow to over four metres in length, and dive to depths of 1,000 metres. Bluefin tuna are unique, perfectly-adapted products of evolution. Coveted for their dense, dark red meat used in sushi (where it is known as “toro”), bluefin support an unsustainable $7.2 billion industry that has driven tuna stocks to the brink of collapse. Bycatch Remedies What can be done? In practical terms, this means:
Oceans fit for the future We stand with everyone who wants healthy oceans for our children, who want marine life to thrive and the fishing industry to give jobs and a future for millions. We will be part of the movement that works to create and protect clean seas that bring life to our planet. Healthy oceans can fight many impacts of climate change. Scientists warn the subsequent rising sea levels will flood low-lying land and wipe out entire islands in our lifetime. Letting science and common sense determine how many fish we can catch instead of allowing greedy industries and politicians to decide would end overfishing overnight! The fishermen know it too, but rather than slow down, the majority of fishing companies are still netting and hooking faster than the fish can reproduce and we are already driving entire populations to collapse. Let’s make piracy history. And it is not just the masked sailors at sea who are stealing food from poor communities; it’s the company bosses on land as well.
Bycatch | Threats | WWF Bycatch occurs because modern fishing gear is very efficient, often covers an extensive area, and can be highly unselective—it catches not only the target species but many other marine animals as well. Poor fisheries management in certain countries further contributes to the problem. Widespread pirate fishing ignores regulations on net mesh sizes, quotas, permitted fishing areas and other bycatch mitigation measures. NON-SELECTIVE FISHING GEARFishing gear is largely non-selective—any species can be caught, including non-target species. Longlines, trawling and the use of gillnets are the fishing methods that most commonly result in bycatch. With trawling, boats drag large nets along the seabed, catching almost everything in their path.
Coasts and seas Human activities are causing unprecedented environmental changes for coastal and marine ecosystems. Pressures from fishing, pollution from land- and sea-based sources, urbanisation, loss and degradation of valuable habitat, and invasions of non-native species are growing worldwide. All these impacts are likely to be exacerbated by the changing climate. More Observed global mean sea level rise has accelerated over the past 15 years. Unsustainable fishing occurs in all European Seas and is threatening the viability of European fish stocks. 21 to 60% of the commercial fish stocks in the North-East Atlantic, the Baltic Sea and the Mediterranean are considered to be outside... more Sea surface temperatures and sea level are rising and likely to rise further. Nutrient enrichment is a major problem in the coastal and marine environment, where it accelerates the growth of phytoplankton and can lead to oxygen depletion.
Overfishing "There's enough on this planet for everyone's needs but not for everyone's greed" - Mahatma Gandhi For our children to have future income, food and pleasure we need healthy oceans and a healthy fishing industry. We need to create ocean sanctuaries to improve the state of our oceans and our fish populations. We need to vastly improve the way we fish, so it is not wasteful and damaging, but first we urgently need to stop taking fish faster than our oceans can replenish. But common sense is not working at the moment. Here are some facts and figures that may shock you: 63 percent of global fish stocks are now considered overfished. 40,000 jobs were lost with the collapse of just one overfished cod populationFishing fleets are heading to new waters because they have exhausted their old hunting grounds The fishing industry now has vessels that can go further, stay longer and catch more, easily out-fishing nature’s ability to replenish fish.
Overfishing -- Pristine Seas -- National Geographic Ocean overfishing is simply the taking of wildlife from the sea at rates too high for fished species to replace themselves. The earliest overfishing occurred in the early 1800s when humans, seeking blubber for lamp oil, decimated the whale population. Some fish that we eat, including Atlantic cod and herring and California's sardines, were also harvested to the brink of extinction by the mid-1900s. Highly disruptive to the food chain, these isolated, regional depletions became global and catastrophic by the late 20th century. When It Started Marine scientists know when widespread overfishing of the seas began. In the mid-20th century, international efforts to increase the availability and affordability of protein-rich foods led to concerted government efforts to increase fishing capacity. But by 1989, when about 90 million tons (metric tons) of catch were taken from the ocean, the industry had hit its high-water mark, and yields have declined or stagnated ever since. When It Will End
Unique to New Zealand - Hector’s dolphins are endangered & Maui's are close to extinction New Zealand is home to one of the world’s rarest and smallest marine dolphin – the Hector’s dolphin. This tiny animal, measuring just 1.4 metres long is unique to our coasts and hovers dangerously on the brink of extinction. The last 40 years has seen a rapid decline in their numbers. In the 1970s their population sat at around 29,000. Today, fewer than 8,000 dolphins remain. The even rarer sub-species of Hector’s dolphin, the Maui’s dolphin, is under even greater threat. Background Hector's and Maui's dolphins are a protected species under the Marine Mammal Protection Act 1978. Both species are at risk from human-induced threats that include boat strike, mining, construction, coastal development, pollution, marine tourism, marine farming and climate change. Maui's SOS Maui's dolphins are in a critical situation because their population is so small. Inbreeding reduces the gene pool and creates a higher chance of birth defects and genetic problems. What's being done? Why it's not enough?
Green Sea Turtle Facts for Kids | Endangered Animals When born, green sea turtles are only 5 cm (2 in) long. But they grow up to 1.5 meters (5 ft) in length and can weigh over 300 kg (700 lbs), making them the largest of the hardshell sea turtles. The dorsal shell of the green turtle, or carapace, is wide, smooth, and brownish-olive in color. The underside of the shell, or plastron, is yellow. Green sea turtles are able to hold their breath for hours at a time. With features well-adapted to sea life, their agile mobility underwater does not carry over to their travels on the beach. To reach their nesting grounds, green turtles migrate long distances, traveling back to the beaches where they were born. Photo by Mark Sullivan, NOAA affiliate. Green sea turtles make their home in tropical and subtropical oceans worldwide. Green sea turtles feed on crabs, jellyfish, and other creatures as juveniles. Conservation Status According to the IUCN, green turtles are listed as endangered, and their numbers are decreasing. What You Can Do to Help P.A.
Marine turtles Habitat loss and degradation Uncontrolled development has led directly to the destruction of critically important nesting beaches. Lights from roads and buildings attract hatchlings and disorient them away from the sea. Vehicle traffic on beaches compacts the sand and makes it impossible for female turtles to dig nests. Sea walls and jetties change long-shore drift patterns and can cause erosion or destruction of entire beach sections. Beach restoration projects aimed at protecting seaside buildings, through dredging and sand filling continue to destroy important nearshore feeding grounds and alter nesting beaches. Important marine turtle feeding habitats such as coral reefs and seagrass beds are continuously being damaged or entirely destroyed as a result of sedimentation, nutrient run-off from the land, insensitive tourist development, destructive fishing techniques and climate change. Hunting and poaching Trade Incidental capture Climate change Pollution Disease
What measures are in place to control overfishing? What is being done about overfishing? For many years, there have been all sorts of measures aimed at controlling overfishing, but many of them have not worked well. Below are a few of what is already in place in many fishing regions of the world. Fisheries are encouraged to stick to their Quota to limit the number of fish that can be caught at any time. There are only a set number of days that fishing is allowed. No-fishing zones have been marked in many areas to allow fishes to recover. Fishing gear that catch tiny or baby fishes are discouraged to help the little fish grow. These days, there are many monitoring equipment and installations set up to regulate the activities and movement of fishing trawlers. In spite of all this, the problem of overfishing is increasing and we are all heading for a massive disaster if we do not do more.
When Overfishing started and Overfishing