Does Fishing Harm The Environment?

Our planet’s bodies of water are experiencing numerous issues at the moment. Plastic, pesticides, and other toxic substances are contaminating oceans. Fish species are also dying very rapidly.

Does fishing harm the environment? Fishing also has a couple of adverse impacts including overfishing, bycatch, ecological disruption, and fish mortality. Fishing may also destroy marine habitats and cause marine debris. These happen when there is no proper regulation overfishing.

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After reading this article, you will be more informed about some of the negative environmental impacts of fishing. It will also discuss some solutions that we can implement to prevent further damage to our environment.

Environmental Impacts Of Fishing

When authors fail to control or regulate fishing, this poses great harm to marine species and environments. These are only some of the problematic effects that fishing may cause:

Overfishing

With a growing population and increased popularity of seafood, commercial fishing has been on the rise as well. Fish populations are being depleted at exponential rates and are struggling to keep up with the demands of the industry.

Bycatch

Bycatch refers to the unintended catching of other fish species. Most of the time, leftover bycatch is disposed of if they cannot be sold. It leads to a decrease in the population of even more species that were not targeted in the first place.

Ecological Disruption

Marine communities depend on ecological balance for survival. When businesses overfish in-demand species like salmon, tuna, and sardines, this disrupts that balance. There will either be too many predator fish or too much prey available. In the long run, this

Destruction Of Marine Habitats

Destructive fishing methods, such as cyanide fishing often ruin the surrounding areas. Fish and other marine species lose their protective habitats. It exposes them to dangerous elements as well as the poison from the explosives used by fishing vessels.

Marine Debris

Materials and tools used in fishing are frequently left behind in bodies of water. Aside from the usual garbage found in oceans, lines, nets, and buoys also contribute to plastic pollution in our waters.

Plastic trash can choke fish and marine life to death. Some species mistake plastic for food and end up poisoned.

Possible Solutions

Commercial overfishing is creating more and more trouble as the years go by. Several environmental groups have recommended ways we can stop this from destroying our environment. Here are some of those possible solutions:

Marine Protected Areas

Marine protected areas would allow affected fish populations to recover fully. This way, they can replenish after suffering from the effects of overfishing or disruptive fishing methods. These areas would prohibit all types of fishing, at least for a specific period.

Catch Shares

Implementing catch shares worldwide would be an excellent way to regulate commercial fishing. There will be a set catch size for different areas and businesses to control fish populations.

Catch shares would protect marine life and also help fishing businesses increase profit due to the increased value of seafood.

Conclusion

Fishing will not be prohibited as totally as people’s livelihoods and diets depend on this industry. However, we cannot ignore the negative impacts it has and how those will affect us in the long run.

Fortunately, it is not too late, and we can still turn things around for a better future.