Pacific Billfish Commission Case Study

practice in the fish industry and provides a method of standardization for something as subjective

As mentioned in the case description, tetrodotoxin is a molecule that blocks voltage-gated sodium ion channels. Describe the structure of a sodium ion.

The panda of the sea is in danger. The local Southern Resident Killer Whale J,K, and L pods population is disintegrating quickly. This is due to habitat destruction, reproductive issues, and a limited food supply. All of these factors are causing the Southern Resident Killer Whale population in the Pacific Northwest to decrease drastically and now they are a species that is listed under the Endangered Species Act. According to whale researcher Ken Balcomb, “The SRKW population was declared Endangered under the US Endangered Species Act in 2005, and earlier this year it was listed as a “species in the spotlight” by NOAA for its lack of recovery since then”(Balcomb). With recent deaths of J28 and her calf J54, many whale activist have been pushing

The issue surrounding the Western Australian shark cull initiative will be the central topic of discussion in this critical essay. A rise in shark attacks in recent years has caused the Western Australian government to employ the Department Of Fisheries Western Australia to pursue a systematic and regulated cull of sharks. However the Greens – who are a political party and pressure group – are advocating for this cull to be stopped through lobbying.

In 1946 a group of 15 nations gathered together to sign a treaty aimed at conserving the whale population following their strong concern regarding the over-hunting of whales. The treaty led to the creation of an oversight body known as the International Whaling Commission (IWC) that was created under the International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling. The Convention is intended to allow for the proper conservation of whale stocks and make the established development of the whaling

In the 1960’s, there was an estimated number of 500,000 dolphins caught as bycatch per year by fishing industries alone(NOAA 8). There was an act, the U.S. Marine Mammal Protection Act, that was passed in 1972. This act’s main goal was to reduce marine mammal bycatch. This act required that “scientific studies were initiated, observers were placed on fishing boats, fishing gear was inspected, and boat captains with high dolphin mortality rates were reviewed(NOAA 8).” The also modified fishing gear in order to reduce how many dolphins were caught. This act was an incredible success, and dolphin bycatch had “declined from about 500,000 to about twenty thousand dolphins per year(NOAA 8).” This shows how much the fishing industries had improved how they fished in order to protect the dolphins. They also made a requirement that all tuna that was caught through dolphin-safe means be labelled(NOAA 9). This allowed consumers to see what they were buying. Therefore, it became in the interest of fishing industries to catch tuna by means other than through dolphins. Today, there are only about three thousand dolphins killed every year through fishing industries(NOAA 10). There is also a clear distinction between tuna that was caught through dolphin-safe means and otherwise. Therefore, the only thing a consumer has to do is to buy

At New Melones Reservoir, despite the continuing snow melt, the water level dropped another foot last week. The water clarity is good and the temperature is slowly coming up, now averaging 76 to 81-degrees. Trout are showing signs of schooling over deep water and feeding on shad minnows. Trollers have been finding trout at 40 to 60 feet with Speedy Shiners, Needlefish, and ExCel lures. Night fishermen have been doing well by anchoring over fairly deep water and lowering their light to about 20 feet. This attracts plankton, which in turn, attracts shad, which will attract larger fish. Live minnows and nightcrawlers are choice baits. The kokanee numbers may be down, but the quality is good with some going 15 to 18 inches. Bladed lures may work well in deeper water as they create vibration which will attract fish. Scented corn on each hook is important. Big trout winner at Glory Hole Sports was, again, Bob James, of Murphys, with a 2-pound rainbow caught at 55 feet in the main lake. Big catfish winner was John Tennant, of Twain Harte, with an 11-pound, 15-ounce fish caught with sardine bait in the main lake. Bass fishing is good for those who specialize in that type of fishing. Hayden Lee, of Angels Camp, recently caught a 10 pound Largemouth Bass on a topwater lure and he had no net in the boat. He and a friend were able to boat the fish for photos before release.

The alligator, even more than the alligator gar, represents the ultimate of “big game” bowfishing within the confines of the United States. These large, sinister-looking reptiles look exactly like what they are – the ancient, unchanged survivors of a world millions of years dead, still gliding through the muddy waters of the American South after countless other species have perished. Quick-moving when necessary, dangerously aggressive on occasion – especially when provoked – heavily armored with thick, knobby scales, and instantly recognizable, alligators are rapidly becoming a favorite target of sport bowfishermen, who appreciate their unique challenge.

On ABC’s Good Morning America’s Weekend Adventure special, viewers were taking to new depths of excitement and adventure as tourists went face to face with the beautiful Caribbean Reef Shark off the coast of the Bahamas. The video clip we saw showed tourists from around the world getting up close and personal with these huge, majestic fish. Participates were ecstatic after there trip down under with the fish. One tourist says, “No other dive compares to it”. How have these people been attracted to these adventure dives, and what makes these so appealing? Those are the questions I will explain in the next paragraph.

Myers’ and Worm’s article “Rapid Worldwide Depletion of Predatory Fish Communities” (“Rapid Depletion”) focuses on the same pressing matter of overfishing, but their article gravitates more towards statistics and figures. For example, Myers’ article states that a suggested 90% of large predatory fish are no longer present in our oceans. Myers uses blunt facts to reveal the severity of overfishing to readers. Studies have concluded that for a given area of ocean opened up to commercial fishing, an 80% decrease in target species may be found in as little as 15 years. With numbers like this, it is no surprise that our oceans are in such a crippled state. Harmful methods of catching species

The threat of the Asian Carp entering Lake Michigan’s waterways has now become a serious issue. The main access into Lake Michigan for the Asian Carp would be through the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canals which connects to the Mississippi River. These natural waterways have also been connected to man made rivers to allow easier access to the lake for trading and transporting goods. Though along the river there are a couple of dams, this does not stop the Asian Carp, but merely slows the Carps movement.

The Salmonidae family is a variety of coldwater fish species that are primarily found in bodies of water where cold temperatures are maintained. Like all other species in the Salmonidae family, the trout is one species that require special care and parameters to secure its level of fitness and survival. Trout Unlimited is an organization that works cooperatively with Pennsylvania’s Fish and Boat Commission to protect and manage the streams, in which the trout occupy. The three utmost imperative aspects of the streams that are maintained include the stream's physical, chemical, and biological characteristics. Although it possesses aspects that aren’t excellent, the Cacoosing Creek is a satisfying location to support a healthy trout population.

Commercial whaling is a serious world issue that has always been difficult for those who are in support and those who are against it. Each group defends their side with convincing arguments. Morally, whaling is wrong, but do the reasons for whaling outweigh the reasons to cease the primitive hunts? By studying the effects of whaling,realizing how culture has changed over time, and taking note of the money that would be saved, it can clearly be seen that there is no longer a current need for whaling to continue. Efforts have been made to try to stop whaling, but with no help from any authoritative figure,nothing has been done to regulate the whaling. The famous sea shepherd, known for its strikes against whaling, can even be seen on

Whaling has become a global environmental issue as vast numbers of whales are killed commercially and scientifically every year. Intense debate on the necessity of whaling has been stirred but failed to be resolved due to the lacking of pragmatic measures employed by the responsible parties. Whaling nations continue to defend their whaling right for cultural and research purposes. Yet, ethical and humanity issues are among the controversial disputes raised by concerned public. In February 2010, International Whaling Commission (IWC) proposed a plan of lifting whaling ban by limiting scientific whaling activities with the intention of reducing overall number of whales killed besides solving the current impasse between pro

Overfishing is an enormous issue that needs to be corrected or there will be no more fish to catch in the future. The true definition of overfishing is as defined by the national fisheries act from 1996 overfishing is “a rate or level of fishing mortality that jeopardizes a fishery's capacity to produce maximum sustainable yield (MSY) on a continuing basis(kennedy, 2016)." Some of the facts of overfishing are so shocking they would blow you out of the water, as well as some of the effects overfishing can have on the fisheries. The solutions to overfishing are extremely simple and completely within our power to do.