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Marine Fisheries And Its Impact On The Environment

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Marine fisheries make up some of the largest ecosystems/habitats that span from the coastal regions all the way through the various oceans of the globe. In addition, the habitats and ecosystems of marine fisheries contain some of the most diverse groups of organisms worldwide just because of the sheer amount of the planet’s surface that the oceans cover. Although the range and diversity of marine fisheries are vast, they are declining at increasing rates. There are many factors that have led to this decline which include climate change, pollution, and the introduction of invasive species into particular habitats. However, the two largest factors behind the collapse of marine fisheries are directly correlated with human interaction with the marine fisheries. One is the overexploitation by the fishing industry, while the other is habitat alteration (mainly around the coastal areas) (Layman et. al 2011).
Findings of the Conservation Issue Marine fisheries revenues totaled about $70 billion in the late 1990s and accounted for $13 billion in net exports (Botsford, L.W., et. al., 1997). The total revenues for marine fisheries today is $91.2 billion This huge industry also supplies a large food source to populations around the world and is an important source of jobs for many countries. However, almost half of the world’s fish stocks are fully exploited or overexploited. Fisheries management has failed to reach the one goal of marine fisheries, sustainability.

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