We are damaging the oceans on a scale that is unimaginable to most people. Many marine ecologists think that the biggest single threat to marine ecosystems today is overfishing. Our appetite for fish is exceeding the oceans ecological limits with devastating impacts on marine ecosystems. The reality of modern fishing is that the industry is dominated by fishing vessels that far out-match natures ability to replenish fish. Giant ships using state-of-the-art fish-finding sonar can pinpoint schools of fish quickly and accurately. The ships are fitted out like giant floating factories - containing fish processing and packing plants, huge freezing systems, and powerful engines to drag enormous fishing gear through the ocean. Put simply: the fish dont stand a chance. Overfishing in this way does not enable the fish to sustain their population with the result that numbers fall until the point is reached when there are no longer any fish left to catch. According to the United Nations, over 70% of the worlds fisheries are either fully exploited, over exploited or significantly depleted. It is not just fish that suffer from the effects of these large commercial fishing operations. Other species, such as marine mammals and seabirds are killed after being trapped in fishing gear. The Oceans form a vast repository of resources, but they are very vulnerable to the actions of mankind. If these resources are not properly managed and if there is not greater worldwide concern, the complex ecosystems of the oceans face a bleak future. Once these ecosystems have gone they can never be recovered. earthtimes.org/
Posted on: Sat, 18 Jan 2014 17:34:11 +0000
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