The Fishing Industry Has Issues: How Can You Help Fix It
The demand for fish and seafood for human and animal consumption has led the commercial fishing industries to drastic measures that harm the whole aquatic ecosystem. Unfortunately human intervention to save certain species such as salmon by fish farming and through hatcheries is not the solution as it promotes further imbalance in the marine ecosystem. The alarming rate of the deterioration of the marine ecosystem can lead to near extinction of marine life, especially fishes, small and large and most sea creatures by 2048. It is up to us anglers to do our share in protecting the different bodies of water and the creatures that live in it, improve and restore the balance to save these aquatic resources. Angling and the environment are intrinsically linked. Love and respect for the ecosystem and the environment where fishes thrive are characteristics of anglers whether this is marine environment or inland waters.
The need to protect the environment has never been greater than now. Our waters are quite fragile and detrimentally impacted by different human activities from agricultural, industrial and fishing industry practices that proved harmful to the balance of marine and fresh water ecosystems. Here are major issues that should be watched and merit our full awareness:
Over Fishing - the system of catching fish faster than they can reproduce is harmful in two ways. Large fish such as tuna and snappers are affected by overfishing as these are caught even before they have the chance to grow to full maturity and are able to spawn or reproduce. Smaller fishes, big fishes’ prey are also targeted as these are considered delicacies, mackerel, anchovies, shrimp and squid. This created a disruption in the marine food chain.
By Catch - the use of gillnets and bottom trawling in fishing practices catches other marine life such as turtles, birds and other aquatic creatures that become collateral damages in catching fish. Bottom trawling even goes as far destroying the natural sea floor habitat, destroying coral in the process of catching fish. Broad sweeping methods of catching fish causes damage to marine life as these also catch sharks, dolphins and turtles among other marine creatures. It is estimated that for every pound of shrimp caught from a broad sweep is equivalent to 6 pounds of collateral damage from catching other species. Different species of sharks are in danger of extinction partly because of broad sweep methods.
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