Fishing and the

Unprecedented
Consequences
Mrs. Kent
English 1020
(Monsters)
Angelo Wilson

Table of Contents
What exactly is overfishing? ......................................................................................................................... 1
Hard evidence for overfishing ....................................................................................................................... 2
Time line and the ugly truth.......................................................................................................................... 3
Breaking news! Overfishing as it is today! .................................................................................................. 4
How fishing should be seen .......................................................................................................................... 5
What fish have to say about us..6
Advertising on local screens.7

Interlude
Fishy, fishy in the sea.
Oh how you interest me.
I have to fish for you dont you see?
Oh look at me, Im fishing free!
The net its big, but the catch is bigger.
Oh how I can real you guys in quicker.
Its almost sad that I feel nothing while I fish.
If you hissed at me stop I probably wouldnt quit.
These guys there are unlimited! Or at least so I thought.
Because now, the fish are gone.
Thats a food for thought.

Overfishing, what it is and why you need to know

Overfishing as it stands, has become an increasing problem in our present day society.
We are neglecting the fact that things like fish and other aquatic life are in fact non-renewable
resources. That we indeed cannot replenish despite our best efforts. Being specific in nature,
overfishing is the destruction of aquatic life at a rate faster than what can be produced at one
given moment. The fish cannot produce as fast as we are fishing for them, leaving them unable
to reproduce. If this continues, fish eventually will cease to exist as there will be one left for
food. Similar things happen in the wild where as several animals have gone extinct over the past
few years due to our selfish desires. If that indeed can happen to animals, why wouldnt the same
be applied to fish? As a matter of fact, Ray writes that a general definition would be fishing a
stock beyond its ability to produce maximum biomass or profit (intro). With this being said,
there is the underlying problem in overfishing. Fishing past what is available.

25

20

15

10

0
1955

1965

1975
Cod

Mollusk

1985
Herrings

Recent Fish Populations

1995

Normally, fish in nature, exist in a neutral relationship with one another that
generates a balance in the ever weary ecosystem. As can be seen in the graph entitled
Recent Fish Populations, the years 1955 1975 explain visually what occurs readily in
nature without human intervention. Considerably speaking, fish grow at a rate that is
proportional to the number of fish that are already in existence. Depending on the type of
fish and how many babies it produces, certain kinds of fish will produce at a faster rate
and at higher quantities versus others. The Herrings are at the top of the recent population
chart but are slowly declining after the year 1985 and still are today. Same thing can be
seen in the other species of fish as they too make a slow decrease with Mollusk taking the
hardest hit. Visually, this graph depicts the peak of human behavior in relation to the
action of fishing. Fishing in large amounts at one given can reduce fish populations as
can be seen in the graph. Also, as part of that increase in fishing, Croswell writes that
fishing disrupts the marine food chain (3). Relatively speaking, the rate at which these
fish produce is a lot slower than the rate at which we are capturing them for food. The
trend seen in this graph holds true for a majority of history. There are parts of the year
when fishing is not in season or not as much fishing is done. This does give time for the
fish to repopulate somewhat, but they will never reach their full or capable capacity
because we will resume the exact same activity once again. Thus reducing the number of
available fish to an even lesser quantity than before. Eventually if this is kept up the
number of fish present to produce will be at minimal and the species could potentially go
extinct. The process would take some time for it to occur but its destined to happen if
our behaviors do not go unchanged. It is actually believed by experts that the fishing
industry will supposedly collapse by the year 2050. Something needs to be done.

Problems in the fisheries! A time line says so!

Aug 7, 1800
Oct, 1950s
(mid)
Oct, 1960s

oct, 2003

The beggining of overfishing

overfishing has a fairly early start

Atlantic Cod and Herrings are fished almost to

extinction
If not given enough time to regenerate, they will in
fact dissapear

Bluefin Tuna began to caught in massive quantities.

today, most of them are non existent.

The number of large ocean fish has been

reduced by ten percent.
Large fish are still in high demand today

sep, 2007

Many coral reefs have been destroyed over these

many years of fishing activities
This stems from lack of fish and chemicals that are
pourn into the ocean

oct, 2010

The number of large fish has now been reudced

by ninety percent
Only since 2003, the number of large fish has
been reduced by almost four times.

As the time line above indicates, overfishing actually had a fairly early beginning dating back to
the early eighteen hundreds. Considering the things that were going around at that time, its not
surprising that something like this would begin to occur. Years prior to the civil war, we were
still trying to figure out new innovations in accordance to the food industry. We had come up
with several smart ideas in that category but its always better for us to go back to our roots. And
in this instance, that was the act of fishing. Originally, overfishing was seen in a different form
than it is today. Instead of utilizing the fish for food, the whale population was harvested greatly
by early humans as their blubber could be used for lamp oil. However, they were not harvested
to the break of extinction as we found other methods of obtaining lamp oil as stated by National
Geographic (1). Now as we progress further into the early two thousands, our act for fishing was
still prevalent as we took interest into certain species such as Atlantic Cod and Herring. Another
particular fish that we take interest in today is the Atlantic salmon. Due to the fact that specialists
say that its good for your heart and it keeps you healthy. Largely, its a source of food that is
available readily to us but its not a renewable resource. Fast forward to two thousand seven and
its evident that fish also have a vital part in the structure of the ecosystem as well. Coral reefs
which decorate the bottom of the sea with puzzling displays of beauty are also going away at
large since two thousand seven and on. Since fish are not there for them to function, they are
eroding away at an extremely alarming rate. An alternative to fish being missing is the fact that
many coral reefs have been destroyed because of all the chemicals (Walton, Oct 2007). Its
slowly starting to become more evident that we dont only hurt ourselves when we overfish but
we hurt the environment as well.

Atrocious times
We love them, but thats why they are disappearing
Editorial by Thomas Ender
Lately, there have been several threats to the

centuries yes? So are you suggesting a

change? The answer is yes, I am suggesting

environment. From the o-zone layer being

destroyed to pollution. At this very moment,
if we do not square up and take charge of
what is occurring then we will cease to have
even have an environment for public
consumption. But there is something else that
hits close to home and thats our ocean
ecosystem. Think of all the sea amenities that
inhabit this very part of our delicate Earth. In
large and massive quantities, we have several
fish that are taken into captivity by the brutal
fish net and are then served to us at a
moment that is most convenient to us. You
may ask, well its what weve been doing for

a major one. Indeed fish are an essential part

of our everyday lives when it comes to food
but we have to think of the concept called
nonrenewable resource. The fish, as many as
there are, will not last forever. In fact, there is
a certain term that is given to this state of
current stress. And that is this idea of
overfishing.

What

is

overfishing?

Overfishing is bagging up more fish than can

be produced at one given moment. The
reproduction rate of fish is significantly
lower than the rate at which the fish are being
taken from the ocean. What does this do? It
literally deprives the ocean of an available

life source. This causes an imbalance in the

of business if the spree of fishing is not taken

ecosystem and could potentially harm us

care of. By at least the year 2050, its

human beings as well. Specifically, an

estimated that most of the big companies who

essential part of the ocean is the coral reef.

are in involved in the fishing industry will go

The lack of fish in certain areas of the ocean

bankrupt! Because there will be no fish left

where coral reefs are prevalent have started

for

to decay to our actions rather than just natural

unsettling. And it doesnt stop there, the issue

wear and tear. Coral reefs besides looking

can even be addressed on a global scale in

beautiful, serve a vital part in the ecosystem.

which two major locations can be considered.

They act as a home for sea creatures and

The Mediterranean Sea and the Black sea.

protect the coastlines from potential wave

The Mediterranean Sea being located near

action. They also protect against tropical

Europe and the Black sea being located near

storms. As it can be seen they are not just

southwestern

there for show. But, in order for them to

Athanassios All indicators confirmed that

function there must be fish for them to

the fisheries resources at a global scale has

continue to function. Several coral reefs have

been realized at least since 2001 (intro). This

gone extinct due to the fish being caught

is of course, in relation to the two seas

almost to near extinction for some species at

mentioned above. The study conducted by

the most of ninety percent. Of course it is

Athanassios indeed depicts the idea that this

necessary for us to have a source of food, but

is indeed a local problem as well as a global

it would be best for us to use fishing as more

one. Attitudes and behavior towards this

of a privilege and make good use of it. As it

atrocity must be addressed at once. Not only

stands, major fishing companies could be out

does this model our relationship with the

public

consumption.

Europe.

As

Thats

pretty

written

by

environment but this issue could potentially

anything, consider the fish much like the

foreshadow our future in accordance to say

trees. Once gone there is no to minimal

trees. The very thing that give us oxygen we

actions that can be taken for them to be

are cutting down at alarming rates. If

replaced.

Whitely Bubble
325 Bridle Path Lane
Zoo York, Chicago 45644
Whitley Bubble, 325 Bridle Path Lane, Zoo York, Chicago 45644
Mr. Eugene
Atlantic Sea Corporation
621 Ether Drive
Zoo York, Chicago 45644
January 11, 2003
Dear Mr. Eugene, I write to you in hopes of presenting you with a plausible alternative to your
companys form of doing business. Ive noticed lately and Im sure everyone else has, that you
all have indeed been building an abundant amount of collateral lately. Weve seen it in stores,
restaurants, and even the TV! But, it seems that your victory may be doing more harm than good
at the present moment. For years, you all have none the less, been fair when it comes to the
amount of fish that you have reeled in each time. But because of these new innovations that I
keep hearing about, four times as many fish have been caught at one given time. Thats not to
mention you all are also going out at a more frequent rate than before. This is a small town we
live in and you all are the biggest company around and we dont have much left. The
surrounding water around us will only hold so much fish so if you all go through all of it what

would we do then? Well we would still be able to live of course but this issue just needs to be
addressed. The issue I am speaking of is overfishing. I am sure that a company of your stature
wouldnt dare do anything that would hurt the community its been supporting since the year
1976. Just in case you all are unaware of some of the potential hazards that go along with
overfishing here are some that will paint a beautiful picture. First off, there is a delicate chain
of food in the sea that if disturbed could cause an imbalance that would leave the fish unable to
reproduce as normal. Also, as a result, certain types of fish would be dying off adding to the
number that we are already consuming. Fish are an essential part of our diet but they are not a
necessity besides maybe the Salmon because its supposedly really healthy. At the rate you all
are going, eventually you will be out of business to this area locally because there will be nothing
left for you to fish and sell. Its good that business is doing well but you all have to use your
heads. I know this is devastating news but I actually have a resolution to the problem at hand.
Instead of fishing several time, why not just do one large catch every year? That would give the
fish time to perhaps reproduce so the growth rate of the fish in the sea would exceed the rate at
which you were catching them. Leaving for a positive growth in this area of particular in
downtown or Zoo York town Chicago. The good news is if you initiate the outline I have given
you at an early enough time, you could right the damage that has been done since you have
begun this recently. There is also help for our neighboring states as well as the foreigners for
they too are doing something about this epidemic. As a matter of fact Plumer writes that many
fisheries in North America and Europe are recovering (3). Thankfully not enough damage has
been done yet for us to even worry. I just wanted to address the problem before it became any
worse. So please, consider my solution and maybe come up with some yourselves before we
have a real issue on our hands. Thank you.

Sincerely,
Whitley Bubble

What do fish have to say about us?

A more hilarious depiction of your average fishing hunt can be seen here. A fisherman is
doing his job as he is out and about with a bigger than normal net as he intends to fish for a large
quantity. At the peak of his exploration he yells these fish are going nowhere! feeling content
about himself, he continues catching. About an hour into the hunt, two clown fish who are about
to be captured notice the size of the net. Disappointed by what they see, they begin to have a
chat. Clown fish on the left says does he know there is not many of us? There is a frown on his
face as he realizes that they are going to be eaten. Despite being a Clown fish, he is upset about
the circumstances. Clown fish on the right responds with doubt it. Clown fish on the right has
a smile on his face because he knows that the humans who take pleasure in over using his species
will not be able to do so much longer if they continue. This cartoon depicts the hilarious irony
that the fish actually know more than we do. We assume that our source for food isnt going
away any time soon, so we just pick away at it with splendid pleasure for the time being. In fact,
the source of food is fairly limited. It make take several years for us to run out but its still a part
of the ecosystem that is an important component of the sea. Let us consider the plant life that
inhabitants most parts of the ocean. Some species of fish have the ability of spreading seeds as
they cruise through the ocean. So that when they grow, the seeds turn into plants for other fish to
eat. But if we are harvesting those fish for food, then those plants will not be able to support
other fish as they serve as a source of food for others. In relation to this Correa write The
disruption of pollination and seed dispersal mutualisms directly affects plant reproduction
success and threatens biodiversity (intro). In other words, the binging of fish for food leaves a
lack of diversity of the species of fish in the ocean and it ceases the reproduction of plants
directly and not indirectly.

Local Advertising Near You

This Just In! The wonder net! Makes fishing

ten times easier!
This new and innovative fishing net well have even the
most experienced companies wanting more as it makes a
great deal for any company that wants to catch a whole lot
of game!

One of the main reasons as to why there is over exploitation of our seas is mainly due to
what the public can see firsthand. At the push of a button, we have an abundance of
advertisements much like this one, which condone the terrible act that is overfishing. Massive
fishing nets like this one seen in the advertisement, are designed to catch several fish at once
putting the whole ecosystem in danger. But, there is hope for us if we change our behaviors and
only consider our practices but with methods of moderation. If nothing is done to change our
behavior then specialists like David inscribe the following the last 50 years have witnessed
the most profound human-induced changes to the earths ecosystem than any other period
(R.W.) This last few years have seen a spike like this one because we are coming up with so
many hew innovations much like the fishing net found in this add. As technology becomes more
advanced we will continue to make things easier and easier. Instead of putting our vast sea of
knowledge to waste, we could conjure something that replaces our traditional practices now with
something more applicable to the environments wellbeing. Figure that out and the environment
and the fish in it may be more liable to thrive. Also, the big fish companies need to consider that
if they continue in the direction they are headed now then they will eventually have no business.
Fish have been abundantly available to us as food but they are not unlimited. Another specialist
address the issue of fishing companies and how they could have no business. Jetson writes that
with no productive fish left in the sea to fish, fisherman and fisheries are bound to go out of
business in no time (S.E.E.). It has become quite clear that we are indeed over using the
environment. Its the only one we have but the damage is irreversible in some cases. It all comes
down to, do we want to change our old ways for a little bit of meration?

Works Cited
Cohen, Dave. "Decline of the Empire." 'Decline of the Empire' TypePad, 25 Jan. 2016. Web. 27
Mar. 2016.
Correa, Sandra Bibiana, et al. "Overfishing Disrupts an Ancient Mutualism Between Frugivorous
Fishes And Plants In Neotropical Wetlands." Biological Conservation 191.(2015): 159-167.
Academic Search Premier. Web. 27 Mar. 2016.
Croswell, Alexis. "10 Alarming Facts About Overfishing." One Green Planet. OneGreenPlanet,
22 Nov. 2013. Web. 27 Mar. 2016.
Hilborn, Ray. "Book Review: Overfishing." The Fisheries Blog. TheFisheriesBlog, 16 Apr.
2012. Web. 27 Mar. 2016.
Jeston, Krysten. "Impact of Overfishing On Human Lives." Marine Science Today. Marine
Science To Mercer, David. "Human Destruction Of The Marine Commons: The Case Of
Fisheries Collapse In The North Atlantic." Geodate 19.4 (2006): 5-7. Academic Search Premier.
Web. 25 Feb. 2016.day LLC, 09 Apr. 2014. Web. 29 Feb. 2016.
"Overfishing -- Pristine Seas -- National Geographic." National Geographic. Pristine Seas, 3
May 2016. Web. 03 May 2016.
Plumer, Brad. "Just How Badly Are We Overfishing the Oceans?" Washington Post. The
Washington Post, 29 Oct. 2013. Web. 01 Mar. 2016.
Tatewalton. "Overfishing Timeline." Timetoast. Timetoast, 27 Mar. 2016. Web. 27 Mar. 2016.

Tsikliras, Athanassios C., et al. "The Mediterranean And Black Sea Fisheries At Risk From
Overexploitation." Plos ONE 10.3 (2015): 1-19. Academic Search Premier. Web. 1 Mar. 2016.