How important is the ocean? Plants that grow in the ocean produce half the oxygen all of the world’s population needs to survive (The Nature Conservancy, 2014). The Carbon dioxide the body releases is also absorbed by the ocean’s waters (The Nature Conservancy, 2014). Medicine that is used to fight cancer and cure disease is formulated from ingredients from the ocean (The Nature Conservancy, 2014). Not only does the ocean keep the people of the world healthy but it accounts for 128 billion dollars of the GDP, keeping the economy healthy also (The Nature Conservancy, 2014). The ocean is a big part of what makes Earth a place where human beings can live and flourish. It is surprising that despite the oceans great importance people are still destroying it, through a series of events that starts with a simple trip to a local sushi restaurant. Eating tuna causes destruction of the ocean because of the elimination of species and it’s effects on the food chain.
Eating tuna causes demand for tuna to go up. Demand for a product is defined by Reem Heakal as “ how much (quantity) of a product or service is desired by buyers” (N.D., pgh. 1). When a person goes into a sushi restaurant and orders the blue fin tuna special the chain reaction is started. Purchasing a product is like sending a vote for the product to the company who controls the production or in regards to tuna the killing of the product. However with a product like tuna there is not an infinite supply that a company can produce because tuna are living creatures. When a person eats tuna it causes the demand for tuna to go up.
When the demand for tuna goes up more tuna have to be killed in order to satisfy the demand. Supply is the other side of the demand coin. Reem Heakal defi...
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National Geographic (2014) . Plenty of Fish in the Sea? Not Always . Retrieved from http://ocean.nationalgeographic.com/ocean/critical-issues-overfishing/
The Nature Conservancy (2014) . Five Reasons We are All Connected to Oceans . Retrieved from http://www.nature.org/ourinitiatives/habitats/oceanscoasts/explore/five-reasons-we-are-all-connected-to-oceans.xml
Save our seas foundation (2014). Threat 1: Overfishing . Retrieved from http://saveourseas.com/threats/overfishing
Valasquez-Manoff, M. (2008, June 10) . Nowhere to hide: The onslaught of fishing technology . Retrieved from http://www.csmonitor.com/Environment/2008/0610/nowhere-to-hide-the-onslaught-of-fishing-technology
Walsh, B. (2013, January 11) . The Pacific Bluefin Tuna Is Going, Going… . Retrieved from http://science.time.com/2013/01/11/the-pacific-bluefin-tuna-is-almost-gone/
In this entertaining, search into global fish hatcheries, New York Times writer Paul Greenberg investigates our historical connection with the ever changing ocean and the wild fish within it. In the beginning of the book Paul is telling his childhood fishing stories to his friends, that night Paul discovers that that four fish dominate the world’s seafood markets in which are salmon, tuna, cod, and bass. He tries to figure out why this is and the only logical answer he could come up with is that four epochal shifts caused theses wild fish population to diminish. History shows that four epochal shifts happen within fifteen years causing certain fish species populations to diminish. He discovers for each of the four fish why this happened to
Greenpeace. (2008, May 8). The collapse of the Canadian Newfoundland cod fishery. Retrieved June 17, 2014, from Greenpeace International Home: http://www.greenpeace.org/international/en/campaigns/oceans/seafood/understanding-the-problem/overfishing-history/cod-fishery-canadian/
...e use of FAD-associated purse seine caught tuna and will only sell tuna caught using environmentally responsible methods, currently defined to include pole & line and un-associated purse seine.” (JW). Some other conservation groups include the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission who works with the Government of member nations in the group to examine the human effects on tuna population and give recommendations on the amount that should be caught to keep a sustained population. WWF is another large group who collaborate with numerous other groups to help the population. Two such collaborations are with the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) who work by certifying tuna fisheries, and encouraging retailers to buy from MSC certified fisheries and the International Seafood Sustainability Foundation who help in the conservation and management of tuna populations (WWF).
Overfishing is defined as a form of overexploitation where fish stocks are brought down to unacceptable levels. In the UN Food and Agriculture Organization’s 2 yearly report (SOFIA), it states how over half of the fish stocks, worldwide, are fully exploited. Other research has shown it only takes 10-15 years of industrial fishing to obliterate a tenth of the intended specie. Overfishing causes a ripple effect that hurts the entire ecosystem. The balance of chain depends largely on the interaction between the predator and the prey. For example, if the larger fish are removed than its prey begins to overpopulate, due to the lack of population control. The balance in the oceans are a urgent problem, around 90% of predatory fish stocks are depleted. The ripples can extend even further to land creatures like
Overfishing is a major problem in economy today. The practices of fishing too much or too often result in a decrease of the fish population. Constant removal of fish from the oceans (fishing) accounts for both adult and baby fish. With the consistent decrease in adult fish, mating becomes more difficult or even impossible, resulting in an overall lack of fish in the oceans. Pepijn Koster defines overfishing as, "Overfishing can be defined in a number of ways. However, everything comes down to one simple point: Catching too much fish for the system to support leads to an overall degradation to the system. Overfishing is a non-sustainable use of the oceans." (par.1). When fish stocks cannot be replenished faster than they are being depleted, a reduction in fish population occurs, which is what is referred to as overfishing.
Stone, Richard. "Massive Outbreak of Jellyfish Could Spell Trouble for Fisheries." Yale Environment 360. Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies, 13 Jan. 2011. Web. 01 May 2012.
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
Rupert Murray’s The End of the Line focuses on the depletion of the oceans fisheries and the devastating effects it has already begun to have on ecosystems and less affluent populations. The film opens with a description of the tribulations of Newfoundland. Once possessing waters so populous with cod that one could “walk across their backs in the water,” improved technology and larger fishing vessels began to deplete the fish stocks. Despite placing a moratorium on fishing in 1992, the fisheries had already been depleted to the point of complete collapse. Similar processes are occurring around the world, as only .6% of the ocean is restricted to fishing vessels. According to the film, much of the ocean’s catch has declined by 90%; the continuation of current trends if continue, stocks will collapse by 2048.
Lichatowich, J., L. Mobrand, and L. Lestelle. "Depletion and Extinction of Pacific Salmon: A Different Perspective." ICES Journal of Marine Science (1999): 467-72. ICES Journal of Marine Science. Oxford Journals.
...tlanticcity.com>. Irwin, Neil. "Environmental groups pressure chefs on menus." Washington Post June 19, 2002. April 26, 2011 Miller, Michael. "Group says it won't move oyster farm to Delaware Bay" Press of Atlantic City, The. August 3, 2010. Press of Atlantic City online. Atlantic Cape Community College, Mays Landing, April 26, 2011 National Sea Grant Law Center. California Enacts Sustainable Oceans Act. 2006. University of Mississippi April 28, 2011. Naylor, Rosamon L.
Pollution comes in many forms. In the ocean we dump a variety of substances, including human wastes, chemicals from fertilizers, oil, and trash such as plastic which all contribute to the growing issue of our ocean pollution. In addition to, our usable waters are finite. More than 97.5 percent of the water on this planet is undrinkable salt water; the remaining 2.5 percent has two-thirds of the usable fresh water locked up in glaciers, snow, and permafrost. Of the one-third of freshwater that is available for human use, 20 percent is used for industrial use. (“Water Pollution”) “In effect, water pollution reduces the volume of water available for use by human and other populations.” (Robin Clarke, Jannet King) Knowing that there are approximately 7.2 billion people and growing on this planet with only 0.83 percent of available for our use wouldn’t you want to do everything possible to help put an end to water pollution? (worldometers)
Every time we throw away a plastic bottle, drive our cars, and even burn those millions of fossil fuels to operate all those huge factories, there is a chance it will pollute the ocean and eventually affect the way we live. There should be stricter laws regulating human pollution, in order to protect our ocean ecosystem. The ocean is an abundant source of life. It is home to thousands of different creatures, provides a great source of food, and provides the earth with about one half of the oxygen needed to sustain life. National Geographic: Pollution, especially plastic, is a catastrophic problem.
Overfishing is a harmful practice, that will eventually lead to the collapse of aquatic ecosystems, if it’s not dealt with promptly. Overfishing emerges from the combination of our over consumptive society mixed with the great profits that come from hauling in a good catch. The consumers demand for fish in Japan seems to be at an increasingly high rate due to the enjoyment and cultural values that arise from sushi and other traditional dishes involving seafood. Approximately 23 percent of Japan’s protein intake comes from the ocean, and as a nation consumes 7.5 million tonnes of seafood annually. CITATION
Analysis of The Tragedy of the Commodity: The Overexploitation of the Mediterranean Bluefin Tuna Fishery In the context of deteriorating bluefin tuna stocks, Stefano B. Longo and Rebeca Clausen successfully critique the classic theory of the tragedy of the commons by ecologist Garett Hardin, in their article “The Tragedy of the Commodity: The Overexploitation of the Mediterranean Bluefin Tuna Fishery”. Hardin’s theory was widely accepted as a model for the overfishing of bluefin tuna, however, Longo and Clausen observe here that the tragedy of the commons is overly simplistic. The authors dive deeper beyond Hardin’s shallow explanations to demonstrate that it is the commodification of our ocean’s resources, instead of self-interested users exploiting a common resource, that leads to overfishing and the depletion of fisheries.
The ocean can serve man purposes things for many different people; as a school, a home, a park...