Environmental Impacts of Fishing | AQA A-Level Environmental Science Revision | Primrose Kitten

Harvesting exceeds population birth rate, causing decline.

Overfishing

Species with low reproductive rates, vulnerable to overfishing.

K-select species

Species with high reproductive rates, less vulnerable.

R-select species

Non-target species caught unintentionally during fishing.

Bycatch

Ecosystem disruption caused by loss of species.

Trophic cascade

Trapping of organisms by lost fishing gear.

Ghost fishing

Fishing method damaging seabed habitats.

Demersal trawling

Explosive method harming marine habitats, banned.

Dynamite fishing

Limits on weight of fish that can be caught.

Catch quotas

Alterations in population demographics due to overfishing.

Age structure changes

Nurseries for juvenile fish, vulnerable to trawling.

Seagrass meadows

Sensitive habitats, slow recovery from damage.

Coral reefs

Mass limits imposed on fishing companies.

Fishing vessel quotas

Ability of methods to target specific species.

Fishing selectivity

Reduction in numbers of a species over time.

Population decline

Frequency of death in a population.

Mortality rate

Age at which organisms can reproduce.

Breeding age

Techniques used to capture marine organisms.

Fishing methods

Network of feeding relationships in marine ecosystems.

Marine food web

Young fish that have not yet reached maturity.

Juvenile fish

Regulations ensuring compliance with catch limits.

Fishing quotas enforcement

Catching more than allowed, leading to penalties.

Exceeding quotas

Study of changes in species populations over time.

Population dynamics

Effects of species loss on environmental balance.

Ecosystem impact

Risk of extinction or decline in populations.

Species vulnerability

Laws governing fishing practices and limits.

Fishing regulations

Efforts to protect marine ecosystems and species.

Marine conservation

Policy requiring all bycatch to be landed.

Discard Ban

Techniques aimed at reducing bycatch rates.

Selective Fishing Methods

Size of net openings to allow smaller fish escape.

Mesh Size

Nets that decompose to reduce ghost fishing.

Biodegradable Nets

Grids redirecting turtles to escape fishing nets.

Turtle Exclusion Devices (TEDs)

Design adjustments to minimize non-target catches.

Hook Size and Shape

Visual or acoustic devices to deter birds from nets.

Decoys

Acoustic deterrents preventing dolphin interactions with lines.

Dolphin Pingers

Weights added to lines to reduce surface visibility.

Sinkers

Laws regulating fishing practices and efforts.

Legislation

Regulations on minimum and maximum fish sizes caught.

Size Limits

Areas where extractive activities like fishing are banned.

No Take Zones (NTZ)

Seasonal restrictions on fishing to protect breeding.

Time Zoning

Specific area restrictions for conservation purposes.

Space Zoning

Smallest size fish that can be legally caught.

Minimum Catchable Size

Largest size fish that can be legally caught.

Maximum Catch Size

Rules ensuring breeding individuals are released.

Breeding Adults Protection

Releasing bred marine life back into the wild.

Population Seeding

Raising species in controlled environments for release.

Captive Breeding

Gradual acclimatization of captive-bred species.

Soft Release

Immediate release of captive-bred species into wild.

Hard Release

Initiatives to breed and release vulnerable species.

Aquarium Breeding Programs

Continued capture of marine life by lost gear.

Ghost Fishing

Fishing gear designed to target specific species.

Species Specific Equipment

Efforts to restore declining marine species numbers.

Population Recovery

Practices that maintain fish populations and ecosystems.

Sustainable Fishing