| An increasing global environmental problem, | | | | Despite scientific findings that support such |
| overfishing is defined by the Sustainable Fisheries | | | | practices, attempts to enforce sustainable |
| Act of 1996 as "a rate or level of fishing mortality | | | | fisheries have been met by resistance from |
| that jeopardizes a fishery's capacity to produce." | | | | many fisherman, who argue that their ability to |
| In other words, it is what happens when so many | | | | continue to profitably harvest a supposedly |
| fish are caught that the population can't reproduce | | | | threatened species is evidence that a given |
| enough to replace them. As a result of | | | | population is not suffering, after all. But such |
| overfishing, entire species can be exhausted to | | | | arguments are based on fishing patterns focused |
| the brink of extinction. The threat is amplified in | | | | in discrete sections of water, and do not reflect |
| cases of subsidized fishing, when overfishing can | | | | the presence of such fish in the ecosystems as a |
| result in resource depletion, low biological birth | | | | whole. That is to say, since fishermen only go to |
| rates, and critically low biomass levels. | | | | where the fish are, obviously there will be fish in |
| Overfishing of one species can upset the balance | | | | these locations. |
| of an entire ecosystem, making it nearly | | | | To curtail destructive fishing practices, scientists |
| impossible for the nearly depleted species to | | | | and activist groups have called for the removal of |
| bounce back. This is called an ecosystem shift, | | | | fishing subsidies to deep-sea fisheries, which trawl |
| and when it happens, the consequences can be | | | | unregulated zones of international waters. |
| disastrous. For example, if all the trout are | | | | Additionally, increased consumer awareness of the |
| removed from an area, a rival species such as | | | | problem has given momentum to a growing |
| carp might effectively take over, making it almost | | | | sustainable seafood movement, where consumers |
| impossible for the dwindling trout to re-establish a | | | | will only buy fish that comes from sustainable |
| breeding population. | | | | fisheries. Another, somewhat controversial solution |
| In response to overfishing, fishing quotas have | | | | is fish farming, as farmers are finding new |
| emerged as a legal way to control the problem. | | | | innovative ways to coax wild fish to breed in |
| And in certain places, governments have begun to | | | | land-locked tanks. |
| enforce fishing suspension during a given period of | | | | Regardless of the strategies or techniques, |
| time each year. One solution for transforming | | | | sustainability advocates across the board are |
| wasteful fisheries into sustainable fisheries is | | | | looking to the future. For them, the answer lies |
| underfishing, which is when fishermen deliberately | | | | the long-term management of ecosystems and |
| underfish in order to boost long-term fish stocks | | | | their corresponding economic infrastructures. |
| and maximize yields. | | | | |