Ocean Overfishing Research Paper

Overfishing is a death sentence to the world’s oceans. As technology continues to improve a great deal of fish can be caught quicker; but at what cost? The effects of overfishing can lead to the extinction of not just the animals being fished, but also the predators that rely on fish to eat. Ninety percent of the ocean’s largest animals have been wiped out due to overfishing (“Overfishing- A Global Disaster”, 2011). National Geographic cites the academic journal Science (2006) that predicts by 2048, all fisheries will collapse due to lack of ocean wildlife. Fish are not the only animal caught in the nets used by fishing vessels. Often animals such as dolphins, sharks, turtles, and seabirds are

In order to combat inconsistent claims to the sea, spreading pollution, competing demands for living marine organisms, tension between nations for resources, and the increasing push for seabed mineral extraction, UNCLOS was created (United Nations 2013). The primary purpose of UNCLOS is to support the efficient use of marine resources, the conservation of living resources, and the protection/preservation of the marine environment (Wang 2004). One of the main benefits of UNCLOS is that it increases the ability for coastal nations to be able to create their own marine protected areas (MPAs) (Craig 2005). In general, MPAs are considered to be the most effective way to preserve and increase marine biodiversity and create sustainable fisheries (Craig 2005; Metcalfe et al. 2013). Even though it has been proven that they are extremely beneficial, only 1.17% of the ocean’s surface is considered to belong to a MPA. In comparison, about 12.7% of the terrestrial environment is considered to belong to a protected region, even though we impact the terrestrial environment less detrimentally than the marine environment (Metcalfe et al. 2013).

the lifeblood of our planet. Many of these bodies of water may be out of sight and out of mind,

The earliest accounts of overfishing occurred in the 1800s, when the demand of whale blubber nearly wiped out the whale populations. In the mid 1900s, the harvesting of Atlantic cod, herring, and California sardines drove them to the brink of extinction. These high disruptions cause regional depletions of animal resources which is starting to cause a global problem. There has never been a more urgent time for fishing nations to make a commitment towards the sustainability of our oceans. More than 80% of the world’s fisheries have been, or are being pushed beyond their limits and are in dire need of strict management plans. Populations of fish and elasmobranch fish such as tuna, grouper and sharks have been declining to the point where the survival

Restating: I hope that this has made you realize the importance of being aware of what is happening not only on land where we live but also the ocean which is a major source of life for the planet.

However, with the same inner drive to discover space should come the intention of wanting to explore the ocean. Humans have laid eyes on only about 5% of the oceans in entirety, and the necessary increase in funding would allow for the other 95% to be seen and known. All the water on our Blue Planet covers roughly 71% of the earth’s surface. Luckily, NOAA researchers have used their inner curiosity and taken action, finding out more and more about the five oceans that span the earth, and all the life that lives in them.

The polar bear lives up in the Arctic region where global warming and climate change are melting the ice caps that the bears thrive on. They use the ice as a platform from hunting and rest. The random pocket holes in the ice, where the seals pop up at, is where the polar bear catches its prey. With this reduction of ice, “the abundance of seals, and increases the amount of energy and time needed for hunting, leaving less energy for reproduction” (Endangered Species and Habitats).

For human beings,the oceans are closely linked to human's life. We can't imagine that in the boundless blue earth,its biological resources,mineral,renewable energy and space etc. It brings to our life value is immeasurable. The oceans are the home of rain,the cradle of life,the treasure-house of resources,the"second space" of human existence and development.

The Ocean is full of beautiful and amazing sea life. Unfortunately, humans are polluting the water, which is negatively affecting the Ocean's inhabitants. One major problem facing sea mammals, such as whales and dolphins, is entanglement. Fishing nets, packing strips, and plastic bags are just some of the sources that trap and entangle them, which can cause them to drown. A report done by World Wildlife Fund-U.S. estimates that fishing nets kill around 1,000 marine mammals each day (Owen 2005). Our plastic trash often ends up on beaches and in the ocean, and marine life can mistake it for food. Ingesting plastic frequently kills them. Seagulls, sea lions, and dolphins are some of the most common victims of plastic ingestion. Another pollution

To understand if the ocean is healthy or not, marine ecologist Enric Sala and his team explain how

Since the beginning of the human race, people have flocked to the ocean. The largest civilizations were built in fertile, coastal areas. Oceanographer and professor at Stanford University, Mark Denny, opened up his book, How the Ocean Works: An Introduction to Oceanography, with the statement, “Throughout history, men and women have been drawn to the sea” (Denny 1). Here in Hawaii, this is especially notable. Hawaii was discovered by islanders who were adventuring across the sea, using it to feed them and working with the currents on their journey. Now, hundreds of years later, visiting the white sandy beaches and crystal blue waters of Hawaii is on nearly the whole world’s bucket list, but it might not be around for much longer. This would be devastating to the planet, as environmental expert Jennifer Weeks says oceans supply most of the Earth’s food and oxygen (Weeks). Not only does the sea provide the most basic necessities for survival, but it has also provided “...Anticancer and antiviral drugs based on substances produced by coral reef species...” (Weeks). Despite all the research that has been done, and is currently underway right this moment, we still know less about the ocean than we do about space! Elisabeth Mann Borgese, an expert in environmentalism, has written, “Our ignorance of the ocean is profound, and although we have learned much during the last hundred years, our knowledge of ocean processes and life in the oceans will remain forever incomplete” (Borgese 23). As Borgese said, it is impossible to learn all there is to know about the sea, but knowing what to do to fix the state of the world’s oceans is vital and attainable information.

How often do we stop and think about the people that fish to provide the rest of the world with the supply of fish that is in demand. With many fisheries closing down due to poor managing and depletion, anglers are turning to the deep sea to fill their “fish orders”. Large fishing vessels also known as Super Trawlers are dragging fishing nets up to a mile deep. Doing this allows them to catch as many fish as possible, but it is also destroying natural habitat such as coral reefs that have been part of the sea for thousands of years. The effect of this is devastating to sea life.

According to the United Nations, 17% of fish stocks worldwide are currently overexploited; 52% are fully exploited; and 7% are depleted. This means that only an estimated 20% of worldwide fish stocks are not already at or above their capacity(Seafarms, 2013). Catches of Pacific herring have decreased by 71% since the 1960s, with Atlantic herring catches falling by 63%. Atlantic Cod catches have fallen by 69% in the same time(Seafarms, 2013). These are just a few of many facts and statistics on the topic of overfishing. The effects of these statistics and facts impact people’s and animal's lives around the

As a result of humanity’s overdependence on the ocean one rising dilemma is overfishing. The issue of overfishing occurs when more fish is caught than the ecosystem can produce, essentially lowering the amount of fish in an area and may lead to the species of fish being wiped out. “Scientific Research shows that more than 90 percent of large fish are now gone from the oceans” (Mann 205). This displays how much of an epidemic that overfishing truly is, because as the larger fish becomes wiped out fishermen will soon start to fish for smaller and smaller species of fish until the

One of the most serious effects of global warming, as it continues to intensify, is the increase in the ocean levels. Thermal expansion of the ocean and glacial melting are likely to cause a .5 to 1.5 meter rise in the ocean level by the year 2100. As the ocean level rises and if no protection is provided, many freshwater supplies could be jeopardized. Tens and possibly hundreds of millions of