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Overfishing

Valeria Bustamante, Daniela Vásquez,

Melissa Rodas, Cristina Donoso, 8C

World Wide

Fishing

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By: Daniela VásquezFishery Depletion, also

known as overfishing, is one of the world issues that we have nowadays. It is when too many fish are caught. Because they are caught all throughout the year they don’t have the opportunity to reproduce and maintain the specie. When time passes by, that can also cause the extinction of the specie. This happens basically because they are wedged and then sold in the market.

The fishing industry has a very good income. For example, in 1990, the approximate money that it made was about $70 to 80 billion for only 125 million tons of fish. Today, fisheries earn around $50 billion each year.

The fishery industry is a very unstable business because

of the excess of fishing and they

practically stop the nature’s cycle. In 1992, there was an immense collapse in the cod fishing in Canada and there was a collateral effect, meaning that there were 40,000 lost jobs. The North Sea and the Baltic are really close to having a complete collapse, which means that they can’t produce fish anymore. This wasn’t the only cause of the fishing company to decline, but there was also a lot of illegal fishing within the sea. Now the percent of the illegal fishing is 30 %. The illegal fishing is the product of a bad management within the business.

In the other hand, the ocean is one that turns out to be the most injured in this

whole

situation. The jobs can be recovered and because there are more job opportunities out there (worldwide), but there is only one ocean but there is only one ocean that cannot be replaced .This catastrophe is called the Tragedy of the oceans. A few years from now, 90% of the fish that we can eat \ won’t exist anymore. Some of them are the tuna, blue marlin and halibut.

How does it happen?

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What is Fishery

depletion?

Fishery depletion is when, for commercial or non-commercial practices, catch too many adult fish are caught. This makes them have the option to fish the fish that aren’t completely mature. This leaves the specie with no way unable to reproduce and increase their population.

By: Melissa Rodas

Information about the Bluefin tuna:

The Blue fin tuna is one of the largest and fastest world’s fishes. The color of their body is metallic blue on top and

silver white on the bottom, which helps them camouflage from other animals. Their average size is 6.5 feet in length and 550 pounds. They move 43 miles per hour.

The Atlantic Blue fin tuna are warm blooded, and they can be found in the cold waters of Iceland and Newfoundland. As well, they can be found in the tropical waters of the Gulf

4THE BLUE FIN TUNA

ENDANGERED SPECIE

of Mexico and the Mediterranean Sea. They are the most migratory fish, and some species have been seen swimming from North America to European water several times a year. The Bluefin tuna has a voracious appetite. They feed themselves on smaller fish such as: crustaceans, squid, zooplankton and eels. Finally, their average life span in the wild is 15 years.

Size relative to a man:

Is the Bluefin tuna endangered species?

Due to over-fishing and high commercial value, more than half of the eight tuna species are endangered, three of them are threaten with global extinction and two of them are already extinct.

Bluefin tuna have been eaten by humans for centuries because Bluefin tuna meat is delicious. Fishes in general are one of the main sources of proteins for humans. Also, this specie is the source of food for making sushi and it is prized in

Mediterranean cuisine, being Japan the world’s largest costumer. In 2007, Japan imported 32,356 metric tons of blue fins, while the Nation operating in the east Atlantic brought in 2,078 metric tons that year.

Studies in Monaco report that the Blue fin tuna have fallen about 75 percent from 1957 to 2007, with a 60 percent of loss occurring in the last 10 years. Scientists say that if we continue like this, the population will decrease a 94 percent bringing some consequences too.

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Some consequences or the effects of the extinction of this specie could be: a negative impact on other marine species because the tuna is on top of the marine food chain. Also that they will have slower reproductive rates, which means that population will take longer to recover. Likewise, the prices have gone up because of the fewer number of fishes. For example, a single, healthy sized adult could bring about $100,000 dollars to Tokyo largest fish market.

Those are reasons why we should start making conscience now and start protecting this species of fish because if we keep waiting, then it would be too late.

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By: Cristina DonosoDo you know what over

fishing causes? Over fishing is a big problem that started on 1950s when large scales of fishing industries started. With this industries and the technology they got fish do not stand a chance since with big machines they fish them all, over their technology and as a result there are big amounts of fish being fished.

Big fish ones like: tuna, sword fish also called marlin; cod, halibut skate and flounder are more frequently fished. These fish have been over fished since 1950 .and as a result 90% of these fish have been overfished

which causes the entire ocean ecosystem to shift. The over fishing of these fish has affected the local people how depend as well on fishing because they got as well no more fish to fish. And people how fish have to replace this big fish with smaller ones. In the end over fishing at the end affects us, at some point we are going to lose types of fishes we like.

The problem of the lost of some species of fish we like has already happened. In 1992 in Newfoundland, Canada an industry over fished the cod in this area. This didn’t just affect the ecosystem it affected the

people from the industry as well. The decreasing of fish led to the loss of 40,000 jobs in the industry.

People have to be aware of what over fishing can cause people as well to not a good ending. But some fishing industries instead of hearing the scientist advice on what

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they could do industries are heading towards the pacific, looking for new fishes to fish. Fisher depletion affects us all.

OVERFISHING

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Overfishing:

Possible Solutions

By: Valeria Bustamante

Fishery Depletion has certainly proved to be an issue worth trying to solve. Even though it is an extended problem now and many species are already on the verge of extinction, it still isn’t too late to create a solution.

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Controlling fishing is the most effective solution. If governments make a commitment to control their fishing

industries, these won’t be able to fish more than is needed. Today, many fish and crustaceans are killed or caught unnecessarily.

Laws should be applied to ensure fish are caught in the right amount. Today, some countries have decided to limit the number of

fish fisheries can kill. Fishing is being monitored at all times, especially with the purpose of preventing

illegal fishing. However, all these efforts are useless if the law doesn’t really follow all these regulations, which often happens. That is why it is extremely important to make it a global effort and make sure the law is followed.

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Another effective solution is to protect important or delicate areas. Reefs, corals and other ecosystems tend to be extremely delicate, so they deserve special care. No fishing should be allowed in those areas of the ocean, especially of species that are already dying. Some reefs have even become natural reserves, where fishing is illegal.

Furthermore, a potential option to reduce overfishing is to have fisheries use the appropriate techniques and equipment for fishing. More than anything, this will prevent unintentional killing. Today, many fisheries use immense nets that catch more

fish than the amount wanted.

It is also extremely important to dispose of dead fish correctly. Sometimes, fish are caught unintentionally, land on the boat, get contaminated and return to the water to die. Fish corpses contaminate the seas, especially if they had contact with chemicals like gasoline when they landed on the boat’s deck.

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One more alternative that has been

implemented is a method called Fish Farming. Fish Farming is a method in which fisheries raise their own fish in water reservoirs, pools, or other bodies of water. It is a successful way to control the amount fish fished. Plus, fish farming is also a great way to save money; for there is no need to spend money on large ships or equipment that is needed for open-sea fishing. However, fish farming can eventually be harmful for the

surrounding areas, especially surrounding ecology because large areas are required as well as constant maintenance.

All these alternatives are to be implemented by the governments or the fisheries. Nevertheless, the question is, what can you do from home to help? It is very easy,

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