Climate Change on Aquatic Life

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Recommended: Unsustainability of fishing

Over 70% of the world’s fish species have been fully exploited, many to the point of no recovery. Of the remaining 30%, most are beginning to be over-exploited. There is not enough regulation of fisheries at this time. Attempts to impose strict rules has led fisherman to engage in illegal and unreported activities in order to maintain their livelihood. The maximum sustainable yield of the entire ocean has leveled off at 80 million metric tons of fish caught annually. That number, however, is only what has been reported. The estimates of our current annual yield, with unwanted, unreported bycatch included, greatly exceed that number. The variability of fish stock recruitment from year to year depends on so many variables that it’s like trying to predict the weather six months in advance. It’s extremely difficult to know what a sustainable level of fishing is; each individual species is different. I find myself doubting even fisheries that claim to be fishing sustainable numbers of fish. Even if one company is fishing one species sustainably, there is sure to be another company that is...

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