Persuasive Essay On Commercial Fishing

Commercial Fishing:What’s the Catch?

Two friends go out for lunch to their usual favorite sushi restaurant. They are seated and given their menus, they knew they were going to get their usual but noticed the prices have increased. Prices have gone up, and some replaced with imitation fish meat, since the last time they ate there. What might have caused this? Due the demand of fish, the price for them also increases. It’s a simple supply and demand logic, but not only is it due to the demand for these fish, it can also be due to their rareness. Over-fishing can cause what is rare and which fish species isn’t. Commercial fishing may cause fish species to go extinct, or bring in new types of fish to take the place of the other fish. In tuna we

do see shark as an ingredient, which is causing them to go extinct. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration: National Marine Fisheries Service(NOAA), the average American in 2013 consumed 14.5 lbs of canned, fresh, or frozen fish in 2013 that is including shellfish. 316.5 million people lived in the U.S. in 2013 that totals 4,589,250,000 lbs of fish. 71% of Earth is covered in water, which would seem enough to help supply the demand of fish, but you would have to add in the other countries that eat fish to the equation. Overall the fish population will go down, and the demand go up.
Commercial Fishing can cause an extinction in certain fish species, this can lead to an unbalance ecosystem that can go down the chain and lead other types of fish to become extinct. The NOAA reports that one quarter of fish species are in danger, including shark, blue-fin tuna, Atlantic Cod, Eel, just to name a few. To fulfill the demand of fish, imitation fish is brought in, while doctors recommend fish over red meat imitation fish may not have the same nutrients as real fish. How can we be sure that what we eat is real fish meat, or the fish we intend to eat? The answer is we can’t, or know if we’re getting those intended nutritional benefits. Not only is commercial fishing increasing fish extinction and the increase of imitation fish, but it can help invasive species take over waters. For example, in South America we killed off a lot of sharks, making the jellyfish population grow bigger; because of this the water became unsafe for humans to enjoy. Even though there are good things that come from commercial fishing such as job opportunities, replenish marine life, and healthier people it can make seas polluted. Commercial fishing can make the seas uninhabitable by destroying homes for many fish, and causing pollution that can make the water even unbreathable for them. If this continues, there will be no more marine life, we must cut back our fish demand before it is too late.
Commercial fishing can destroy the food chain in the ocean, lakes, or rivers. Entire species of marine life will never be seen in the age of man, let alone be tasted, if we do not stop our habits for eating and killing fish. Norman Holy writes in, ‘Tangled in Food Web’, “The fishery removes 25 to 30 percent of the total biomass of the North Sea each year, an exceedingly high and unsustainable rate of depletion...On average one-third of the catch consists of undersized fish, of species that cannot be brought into port because of regulations, or of species without market value. These are discarded, and this entire discard, mostly dead, goes overboard”(Holy). Basically, we are fishing and killing off that we can’t use either due to laws, or we have no use for them. In Eating Animal, by Jonathan Foer writes, “For every ten tuna, sharks, and other large predatory fish that were in our oceans fifty to a hundred years ago, only one is left.”(Foer 33) Overfishing caused this, and if we continue this trend we will late have no more fish of any kind in oceans. Norman Holy also reports in his article that seabirds eat fish, but because we are over fishing they don’t have a solid food source. This leads seabirds to go scavenging for food, leaving their nests open which predators are easily accessibly, this declines in seabird population. If it continues seabirds will follow fish on the extinction list, commercial fishing isn’t only wiping out the fish population it’s wiping out every population.
On top of extinction, pollution can be a result of over fishing.

Due to the demand many packaging for the fish can find its was back to sea, or when fishermen are out at sea they can leave their garbage. Many nets from the boats and gears can also be found in the water, that fish can later see as food, eat it, and die; this ties back to extinction in fish. There is much pollution and decline stocks in fish because it is very hard to regulate the seas. To fulfill the growing demand for seafood, many companies are forced to fish beyond areas that are supposed to be non-fishing zones. This is because there are hardly any laws or restrictions telling them where they can and cannot fish. Sally Driscoll and Tom Warhol report in, ‘Overfishing’, that itt wasn’t until 1956 where we saw our first regulation, the United Nations organized the first UN Convention of the Law of the Sea or the NCLOS which helped promote rights of all countries by establishing boundaries off shore. Meaning that some seafood fished in certain areas of the ocean cannot be sold in certain countries, and in some areas it is illegal to fish unless you have a permit from that country. Economy also helps make it harder to regulate the seas, in ‘Overfishing’ it is explained that Preisdent Barack Obama brought up Antiquities Act of 1906, that let fishermen expand their fishing areas. The United Nations FAO estimates that 25 percent of all fish trapped in nets are labeled unusable or not licensed for fishing by the

vessel, however those fish still end up on the market for consumers to enjoy.
It isn’t uncommon for fish industries to be very wasteful, many of the fish caught may not make it past the seas once caught. Norman Holy reports that many fishing companies throw back most of what they caught, this actually harms those companies. It has been reported that fishing companies lose more money than they actually make, so by throwing back fish they losing more profit. In, “Fuel Prices Sink Fishing Profits” Bradenton Herald quotes Bill Adler, executive director for the Massachusetts Lobstermen’s Association, ''Fishermen can't come in and say, 'My costs just went up, so you're going to have to pay me more.’ Instead, the dealer offers a price and it's either take it or leave it. He knows you got a product that has to be alive. He knows you've got to get rid of them,”(Adler). In addition the rise in fuel has gone up 65%, while airline companies and industries can charge their costumers with the prices for fuel fisherman cannot do the same. Because of over-fishing according to Norman Holy, fishermen are having a harder time making a profit because of there isn’t much fish left in the sea to be taken. According to the World Wildlife Fund, fishing companies receives more than sixteen billion dollars in subsidies every year, but according to CNN the government can give as much as thirty-million dollars. What is a subsidy? Subsidies are money given from the government to assist a bussiness so the prices of a commodity or service may remain low. Sixteen million dollars to the fishing industry, while the average they make according to CNN is eighty billion dollars, so basically only half is made back in profits. Subsidies come from tax dollars, which come from tax payers from either their income or annual taxes. Instead of spending tax dollars on the fish industries we can spend it on something more beneficial and important to the united states, and that important is education or helping give basic needs(water, food, shelter, ect.) to those who need it.
People against over fishing see the struggling of fish companies, but others report that there are many job opportunities in the field due to the industry boom. According to CNN an average company, employs 200 million people a year, that is amazing for the unemployment rate. However, many fisherman do risk their lives, for example crab fisherman risk their lives everyday on the Alaskan Sea. CNN named it one of the most dangerous jobs with 7.5 deaths on average each year. The crewmen made anywhere from $10,000-$15,000 a month compared to regular fisherman who earn a little under $15,000 a month, and double that for captains according to CNN. The great part about this career is you don’t need a certain education, as long as you know how to fish this job is for you! While working, it can bring new skill sets, so even though you do not have to have a B.S. or B.A. to work for fish companies you will end up learning anyways. This is great for resumes once a worker decides to move on from the fish industry. Another benefit from commercial fishing is the access to fish, many doctors recommend fish meat over any other type of meat, if you are someone with heart problems your doctor might recommend fish oil. Bruce Horovitz and Debra Chanil write in ‘Fishing For Profits’, “ Even the federal government recently recommended folks eat at least 8 ounces of seafood per week, which equates to two servings. Yet only one in 10 Americans actually consumes the recommended amount.”(Horovitz, Chanil 2016) It has been noted that fish helps with health which can lead to a healthier and longer life. With more health conscious people in modern day era, it sparks a demand in fish which adds a bonus benefit which is economic thrive. Since the demand for seafood has been increasing, many companies being set up for overfishing, there is more sources of income available which results in more taxes for local governments. Which all equals for a happy local economy.
Overfishing is to deplete the stock of fish by the act of over fishing.

Overfishing may have some benefits to it, but does it out way the negatives? By fulfilling our demand we can wipe out our whole oceans! Not just the fish, but water mammals too. Sure it can create jobs, but as what cost? It can help bring up our economy, but at the same time it can bring it down with many fish companies closing down due to lack of profit. Fish is a great source of nutrients, but too much can kill you! In other words, fish can be both beneficial and harmful to not only humans, but everyone and everything surrounding fish. There are three things people can do to help with overfishing, the first thing is to be aware of what you are eating. Is the fish on the fear of extinction list? Also asking yourself is the fish you’re about to eat really the fish you intend to eat? Another thing to ask is, was it shipped over seas? If it was it doesn’t benefit anyone, it won’t help the economy or you. Many fish shipped from a long ways creates pollution and may have lost its nutrients value from the long voyage. One last thing to do is if you see a sewer with a sign leading to the ocean, try not to leave trash near it, or better yet don’t litter at all! All the litter left out on streets or near sewers can cause pollution in oceans, lakes, and rivers which is very harmful for marine life. You can still enjoy fish, but not at such a high demand as

now!