Declining Fish Stock Essay Example for Free

Declining Fish Stock Essay The Problem: Seeing the video on Declining Fish Stock VLR, expose the challenges between fishermen and environmental concerns. This video shows how fishing fleets have depleted the oceans of almost 90% of its big fish; therefore, claiming the ocean is not as resilient as it once was. The majority of the largest fish have already been pulled from the oceans, leaving only 10% of its remaining fish for Commercial fishermen to make a living. Most fishing fleets today are two to three times larger than they need to be to catch large fish and other seafood. Because of commercial fishing many fish are not able to reproduce fast enough to maintain their species. A manageable and sustainable plan will need to be implemented to avert these fish from completely disappearing from the oceans. The plan will need to be a partnership between fishermen, communities, governments, and environmentalists. Overfishing has considerably exhausted certain species in the ocean and they are now extinct. To think we can continue to hunt fish, with no major regulations or limits to feed billions of people is extreme. Since biodiversity do continue to decline, the aquatic surroundings will not be able to maintain our human consumption for seafood. This situation can still be reversible by working together with some basic ground rules. Because of the current conditions and the magnitude of the problem, replenishing the ocean may take a decade or perhaps even centuries to restore. In spite of everything there is a way we can have a healthy and productive oceans again. However, we do need to act now before the big fish are too far depleted to make a comeback. Action Plan: for environmentalists Forristall (2008) a study authored by scientists from the University of California at Santa Barbara and the University of Hawaii and published in the journal Science last month shows â€Å"catch share management systems† can reverse declining fish stocks. Catch share management systems allow fishermen to own quotas of the total allowable catch so they have a direct financial stake in the fishery. The shares can be sold and bought between fishermen, and as the fishery recovers, shares grow in value. Order of Action As a community it is imperative to stay informed. Knowledge is powerful and through education we learn that overfishing cannot continue. â€Å" Fish account for approximately one fifth of all animal protein in the human diet, and around one billion people rely on fish as their primary protein source†(2005). A global problem is a community problem, and it is important for people to realize as they consume these species and they are being depleted. There are several things that can be done to alert the public: Study journals, such as the Good Fish guides for more information; spread the word by speaking to friends and explain why eating certain fish is not a good idea; discuss the overfishing problem and suggest a quota for fishermen; do not hesitate to let elected officials know that there is a concern; and be motivated enough to write a letter to the editor of local newspapers in order to get a wide audience of concerned people. An illustration of another way to carry on the supply of fish for human enjoyment is Aquaculture or fish farms. These farms help in producing offspring’s for the depleted fish before they become extinct. Since the farming of ocean, freshwater plants, and animals for human consumption produces wastes that pollutes marine life and harm the ocean water the farms would to best away from the coastline. Aquaculture or fish farms permit the request for certain fish to be available while allowing the identical fish to replenish in the ocean. It would be good if we could change our thought pattern on fishing and compare fish farming with reduced sea fishing quotas and secluded aquatic life areas because most of our oceans are not protected. The reality is, through aquaculture we could replenish the oceans. Action Steps: Identify and research the results of overfishing. Check journals and different Web sites. Document all information on Aquaculture. In the next 1-3 months develop a presentation of why overfishing is so important and the program that will be needed to be in place. Within four months there will be a schedule for an appearance with one of the leaders in the community. Community awareness is essential to convince government why a program would be needed to replenish the fish. Overfishing is a subject that is documented by commercial fisherman, scientists, environmentalists, and governments. Worldwide we all want to sustain fish species at maintainable levels. Being able to come to an agreement with a manageable and sustainable plan is imperative to avoid further destruction to the ocean or its living creatures. This plan presents solutions that benefit the declining fish stock, commercial fisherman, the community, and environmentalist, and will not be a significant blow to the fishermen’s income, or government resource.