Water Resource Plan 1
Water Resource Plan
Axia College of University of Phoenix
Water Resource Plan 2
Over fishing is best described as catching too much fish before the supply can be
replenished. This situation is an overall degradation to the oceanic system. Over fishing is caused
by commercial and non-commercial fishing. The problem lies when too many adult fish are
caught, leaving a small amount to breed and replenish the rest of the population. The fish
population continues to decline fewer and fewer until soon there aren’t any left to catch. Since
the ocean covers three quarters of the earth, and over 80 percent of the life on earth one may ask,
how can such a shortage be possible (Koster, 2007)?
Fishing methods that are used my commercial and non-commercial fishing units are
detrimental in the destruction of non-targeted species. For example, bycatch is a term used to
describe when other marine species are caught while fishers are fishing for other kinds of
species. Some of the non-targeted animals caught in bycatch are released back into the ocean
(John Wiley & Sons, 2000). However, the majority of these animals are not expected to survive
due to injuries acquired at the time of their capture.
Along side losing species of fish, we are also losing entire ecosystems. An example of
ecological and economical lost is that found in Newfoundland, Canada. This once flourishing
cod fish industry came to a sudden halt in 1992 when there wasn’t any cod at the beginning of
the fishing season. Mismanaged fisheries resulted in overfishing causing the cod fish to
disappear. As a result many people were left without jobs and a sense of livelihood. Today,
fishermen are still waiting for the cod fish to return and flourish the community once again. Now
crab, a species once considered an annoyance, is the new economic constraint in this region
(Koster, 2007).
Water Resource Plan 3
It is not too late to reverse the effects of overfishing. By strictly managing near-shore and
high-seas fisheries is one way to win the ocean back. Setting a limit on the number of fish caught
will control the population of species allowing them to reproduce and populate the fish
community safely and in a timely manner. Implementing safe and effective techniques used to
fish will minimize the amount of other species that have fallen victims to bycatch. This will
decrease the amount of overfishing as well as save other ecosystems. None of these plans can be
successful without proper monitoring and enforcement. By monitoring the amount of fish each
fishery can land as well as the areas where they can fish is another effective method to utilize in
reversing the effects of overfishing. These suggestions are both environmentalist and fisherman
friendly. While limitations are present to allow the population of fish to replenish the ocean,
fishermen are still left to make their living and sustain economic growth. The communities will
also be able to benefit with a supply of fish for food; and jobs that come with harvesting,
cleaning, and selling fish.
Becoming informed on the issues and effects of overfishing is a great start to finding
solutions to this critical problem. Knowing what you eat and being influenced on how it is
caught can be a huge impact on how fisheries catch the fish. For example, eating tuna that is
dolphin safe has set a chain reaction as to how companies go about catching and landing fish.
Now is the time to act before the ocean is riddled and inedible species.
Water Resource Plan 4
References:
Koster, P. (2007). Overfishing - A Global Disaster. Retrieved February 20th, 2010. Retrieved
from http://www.overfishing.org.
John Wiley & Sons Inc., (2000-2010). Chapter 11 The Ocean and Fisheries. John Wiley & Sons
Inc..
University of Phoenix. (2007). Declining Fish Stock VRL [Audio podcast]. . Retrieved from
https://ecampus.phoenix.edu/secure/aapd/axia/sci275/multimedia/video/declinining_fish_
stock.htm.
