The State of The Ocean Another way for our growing population to get protein is by eating fish. The four most popular fish are Fisheries Everything About The Ocean I learned from. Shrimp Tuna Salmon White Fish
How Do You Catch A Fish? Bottom Trawls and Dredging Drag nets or baskets along the ocean floor to catch shrimp, bottom dwelling fish, and shell fish. Concerns with this method is that Dragging heavy gear across the floor destroys habitat. How Do You Catch A Fish? Midwater Trawl Pull gigantic nets through the open ocean. Can catch an entire school of fish. Purse Seining Uses large vertical nets to encircle a school of fish. How Do You Catch A Fish? Gill Nets Walls of netting designed to entangle fish. Long Lining Uses a central fishing line that ranges from 1-50 miles long. Strung with smaller lines of baited hooks. Back To Finding Nemo What type of fishing is shown in the movie? Midwater Trawling
What Happened to Dori?? Dolphin Safe Tuna By-catch became a consumer concern in the 1990s when dolphins were being threatened. She was by-catch! The common impact of all of these fishing methods is by-catch. The catching or entanglement of unwanted species. Dolphins, sharks, fish, turtles, etc. Result of this concern was the Dolphin Protection Consumer Information Act. Part of the US Marine Mammal Protection Act. It s All About Money In 2008, Mexico launched another case against the US because it says this labeling discriminates against their tuna, which is not caught using dolphin safe methods. WTO ruled in favor of Mexico. Labeling is a technical barrier to trade. Penalty is sanctions on the US. On January 1, 2017, the US began enforcing a new import rule. Requires ALL fisheries exporting seafood to the US protect marine animals to those comparable to the US. Aim is to get other countries to strengthen policy instead of weakening ours! Other Forms of By-catch Sharks Rays Marlins Sea turtles Technology used to catch tuna that is dolphin safe, isn t always safe for other species. Requires ALL fisheries exporting seafood to the US protect marine animals to those comparable to the US.
Welcome To The Commons! The World s fisheries is a commons. No nation lays claim to the open ocean. Open for all to use and therefore is susceptible to overuse and degradation. Over harvesting Many species are at the point of severe depletion. 62% of the world s fish stock are in need of management action. White Fish Over Harvest Welcome To The Commons! The other issue associated with the ocean as a commons is pollution. The ocean is a dumping ground. Oil Heavy metals Sewage Disposal Deliberate litter dumping Stormwater runoff from cities and agricultural areas. Fertilizers, pesticides, etc. The Pacific Garbage Patch
Back To The Tragedy To prevent the tragedy, people must be aware of the true cost of their actions. Possible solutions: Privatize the commons If you own it, you are more likely to take care of it. Government Regulation Permit system to restrict use to sustainable levels. Self-regulation Local and user institutions determine how to use the resource effectively. After the collapse of the cod and pollock fisheries in 1990s, governments started to take action. Fishery collapse is defined as a 90% decline in fish population. Sustainable Fisheries Act of 1996 Shift management practice from economic focus to conservation, species-sustainability approach. Calls for the protection of marine habitat. Endangered Species Act Prohibits the harm or harvesting of endangered species and protects their habitats. Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) Prevents trade of threatened or endangered marine species. UN Law of the seas Creates Exclusive Economic zones, 200-mi offshore and sovereignty over the sea bed 12 miles offshore. Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) Prohibits take of marine mammals in US waters, by US citizens on the high seas, and the importation of marine mammals and marine mammal products in the US. US Whale Conservation Act Prohibits the harvesting of whales in US waters.
Magnuson Act - Fisheries Management and Conservation Establishes regional fishery management councils that set quotas, size limits, and seasons. Rebuild overfished stocks, minimize by catch. National Environment Policy Act (NEPA) Requires federal agencies integrate environmental values into their decision-making processes by considering the environmental impacts of their major proposed actions. Environmental impact statements (EIS) Marine Sanctuaries Act Protects the habitat for marine organisms and protects the animals from being harvested in that area. Lacey Act of 1900 Protects sale of illegally harvested species. Individual transferable quotas (ITQs) Total allowable catch is determined at start of season. Sell quota to fishermen, with favor toward those with long-term history with fishery. Use market system to regulate amount taken from the ocean. Aquaculture Fish farming Stocking organisms, feeding them, and protecting them from disease and predators.
Offshore/Open Cage Aquaculture Fish farm is located in the ocean environment but is separated by a physical barrier. Alternatives? Fish Ponds Inland so less exchange with the environment and wastes can be treated. Takes up land space which destroys habitats. The Future? Open-ocean Aquapods