Overview of Overfishing

Overfishing is a critical issue in today's society. It affects the overall health of our oceans, results in reduced oxygen levels, introduces diseases on the ocean floor, and has run unchecked for too long (EPA, 2018). If this issue continues, it could lead to a huge reduction of fish populations and result in the overall downturn of our ocean's ecosystem.

Industrial fishing began in the late 1800s, when steam powered boats were available and railroads connected the towns. By the 1930s, boats were traveling further out due to a depletion of fish population close to the shore. In the 1950s, it was hoped that the ocean would provide cheap protein for people, and would be able to sustain the annual catch. The number of fishing vessels increased towards the end of the century, and they became more efficient, meaning they could bring in even more fish. This idea of the ocean having a limitless amount of food supply for humans has resulted in the crisis that we are facing today (A Tale of Two Fisheries, 2008).

Consequentialism is the best ethical approach to help end the problem of overfishing. Consequentialism focuses on the consequences or results of an action, and it is crucial for humans to take responsibility for this issue. Our actions need to reflect what is best in the long term, and for the greater good. This applies to overfishing because the effect of fishing too much has mostly negative consequences. Even if it is beneficial to people in some regards, it is bad overall. There are other alternatives that humans could try that have better outcomes than our current approach. For example, if we use fisheries instead, the oceans aren't affected as harshly. Humans need to take action and stop overfishing before it is too late.

When weighing out the pros and cons of overfishing, the cons greatly outweigh the pros. There are a few positive impacts of overfishing, such as the revenue created from selling fish and the business it creates. Overfishing destroys the aquatic ecosystem. When the nets are being cast, most of the fish captured are not the desired species, and as a result, many fish are killed unnecessarily. The massive deaths of fish in the ocean can cause the aquatic ecosystem to be unbalanced, and could lead to many species becoming endangered or extinct. Another flaw of overfishing is the fact that it's not sustainable. If we continue to overfish, the boats will eventually gather less in each trip and it will begin to cost more than it's worth to continue fishing. Overfishing will be both economically and environmentally unsustainable once we have exhausted our resources.

Pros:

1. It has created more job opportunities: Since the aquaculture industry boom, numerous jobs have been made available to the people. This is especially true in impoverished areas where decent and good-paying jobs are quite rare.

2. It provides new skill sets: Fishing companies and other entities that consume, process or serve seafood require people to carry out different tasks. This is where training will be needed. As a result, people will have new sets of skills that can be added to their resume.

3. It can help boost the economy: The demand for seafood has been increasing in the last few decades. With more and more companies being set up for overfishing, there will be more sources of income, which results in more taxes for the local government. Aside from that, exportation of seafood products will also do good for any country as it provides more work and more income for the government.

4. It helps people eat healthier: Seafood is healthier than other kinds of meat. With an increase in people becoming more health conscious nowadays, it’s no wonder there is a growing demand for seafood. And thanks to the presence of overfishing companies, such demand can be met.

5. It meets the growing demand for food: Overfishing helps feed the masses. By introducing new species of marine life to the people, the public has now more food choices.

6. It helps replenish the marine life: Companies that are into overfishing have replenishment systems to ensure that they can continue to meet demands.

Cons:

1. It can cause a dent in marine life population: This is especially true for species that are more in-demand. Although there are replenishment efforts in place, this cannot provide an immediate solution because it takes time for fish and other marine creatures to grow and be useful to humans.

2. It can cause overpopulation of other marine species: In one of the South American inlets, sharks were overfished. This resulted to having more jellyfish, making the water unsafe not only for humans but also for other marine species.

3. It affects the ecosystem: This is because overfishing disrupts the food chain, other creatures that rely on seafood have to adapt and change their environment and characteristics. For one, animals may be forced to travel to distant regions to survive. When that happens, they can be hunted down or forced out of the place for not being its natural habitat.

4. It can increase pollution: Garbage in the ocean can increase due to the waste emitted from fishing vessels. This makes the water more polluted, making it unsafe for people and animals alike.

5. It can lead to the exploitation of non-fishing zones: Because fishing companies need to fulfill the growing demand for fish and other seafood, they will be forced to fish beyond areas that are supposed to be non-fishing zones. This is because they will have depleted the supply in certain areas.

6. It can cause the total collapse of fish stock: Too much commercial fishing has made some seas uninhabitable to any form of marine life. As a result, fish populations have declined by 90 percent. If this goes unresolved, there will be no more fish and other seafood sources available.

Alternatives for Communities: 

In the movie Racing Extinction, we learned about the central Indonesian village of Lamakera, an area that used to be the world's largest Manta Ray fishing site. This community relied on the commercial fishing of Manta Rays to support their economy and after generations of hunting these sea creatures, put their numbers in grave danger. In order to save this dying species, a full national protection of Indonesia's Manta Rays was established. Instead of killing the Rays and using them as a source of income, researchers focused on informing the public of these wonderful creatures and established Indonesia as the world's largest Manta Ray sanctuary. The villagers feared their livelihood once the protection was placed on these species, but conservationists placed the focus on engaging and educating the members of the community about the importance of the Manta Ray population. The community transitioned from an economy centered around Manta Ray hunting to one centered around research, sustainable fisheries and tourism. 

Some aquaculturists have tried to lessen the environmental impact of overfishing by developing closed-contained systems, either solid-wall systems that float on the water or tank systems that operate entirely on land. These methods would ensure the separation and protection of native species from farmed fish species used for human consumption. 

Innovative scientists from the University of Maryland’s Department of Marine Biotechnology have developed what they call a new generation of aquaculture technology, a closed-contained system that operates entirely on land and expels zero waste into the environment. This almost self-sustaining system provides fish that are healthy, grow faster, and have the same taste as fish caught from the ocean.

Overfishing is a monumental issue that must be addressed for the health of our oceans. It is our duty to break the cycle, and begin regulating our fishing industry on a larger scale, use better techniques to capture the fish, and cut down on our overall consumption. By taking these steps, we will help to ensure a healthy and sustainable ocean ecosystem.