ABOUT BAD FISHING METHODS
……Avoid using Pesticides and Antibiotics
OVERFISHING and other unsustainable practices can lead to over-exploitation of the marine ecosystem. These fishing operations and practices’ adverse physiological and psychological effects can affect fish populations and increase bodily injuries and stress levels.
Fishing in-demand species can disrupt the food web. Prey species like sardines may become scarce, reducing the food supply for predators. On the other hand, prey species may be on the rise while predator species like salmon and tuna are targeted.
Pollution, overfishing, and bottom trawling of the ocean floor can affect the carbon stored in the ocean, contributing to the climate crisis.
Another environmental impact of the fishing industry is mass marine debris. Marine debris typically consists of lines, buoys, and nets.
Studies reveal that only fishing nets comprise 46% of plastic debris in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. Another study shows that nets, buoys, and lines comprise two-thirds of ocean plastic debris.
With marine debris floating in water bodies, marine animals can either get entangled in debris or ingest them. Both of which are harmful to them. This debris can also lead to ghost fishing, where ghost pots or nets capture unintended fish species.
Catching fish for sport or leisure is what we call recreational fishing. Angling, one of the most common forms of recreational fishing, involves using rods, lines, hooks, reels, and a wide range of baits. A study reveals that recreational fishing accounts for almost a quarter of the fish caught in the United States. While many consider commercial fishing to have one of the greatest environmental impacts, recreational fishing can also significantly impact the environment.
Recreational fisheries typically target bigger fish, meaning they take the most healthy and fit fish out of the population. Through harvesting, recreational fishing can contribute to fishery decline as well as disruptions in the ecosystem.
Recreational fishing boats can also cause traffic, which comes with erosion, waves, noise pollution, and environmental degradation. A study suggests that improving recreational fisheries management on a global level can increase social benefits on the same scale as improving commercial fisheries.
Minimizing the negative environmental impacts of fishing
Poor fisheries management and illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing negatively impact the environment and reduce the potential of fish to provide food and jobs.
In this section, we will look at several ways to minimize the environmental impact of fishing.
Improved fisheries management
It is arguable among the fisheries science community whether traditional fisheries techniques like the harvest quota work to restore fish populations. However, fisheries mismanagement is a major cause of the decline of fish populations.
Using effective modern fishery management systems and sustainable practices is essential to reduce the environmental effects of fishing.
According to National Geographic to prevent the destruction of habitats, something as minor as changing fishing gears can make all the difference. Going for a different hook or bait design can lead to less dangerous fishing practices and bycatch.
Government bodies and international organizations have also designed policies to help reduce the impact of fishing on the environment. These laws and policies could include limits on fishing vessels allowed to be used in certain areas, quotas on the number of catches for some species, prohibition of spears and baits, etc.
Marine reserves
Marine reserves typically work to ensure marine wildlife’s safety and the environment’s protection. These reserves designate marine protected areas and mitigate the negative impacts of fishing within that environment.
Marine reserves are designed to create and enhance biodiversity within an area. For example, coral reefs involve the application of these marine reserves to establish marine protected areas. Several marine reserve initiatives have been established in countries like the Caribbean, the Philippines, and the United States. Aquaculture/fish farming Another way to minimize the environmental effects of wild-caught fishing is to switch to more sustainable fishing techniques. One of these practices is aquaculture or fish farming.
Aquaculture is considered a more sustainable fishing technique than traditionally catching wild fish.
Typically, fish farms on the coastal waters involve pens and cages attached to the sediments at the bottom. With many wild fish depleted, supplying farmed fish consisting of the commonly consumed species is a great way to supply large quantities of fish for human consumption.