Impacts of Overfishing (UNIT 1)

How does the Tragedy of the Commons relate to overfishing?

Each fisherman, company, country, etc. may be looking out for profits/own interest rather than interest of all - which can lead to depleted resources

Fish do not stay in one place, but travel between areas controlled by different countries. How does this make things more difficult when regulating fishing practices?

Countries may have different laws/regulations. If one group takes more than they should it can impact other areas.

If fishing fleets severely reduce the population of fish who typically feed on algae and phytoplankton, how do you think this will impact the predatory fish higher in the food chain within that ecosystem? Relate your answer to loss of biodiversity.

There would not be enough fish to support higher feeding levels, which can lead to extinction + loss of biodiversity.

What is bycatch? How does it impact marine ecosystems? Relate your answer to loss of biodiversity.

Bycatch refers to non-target marine species caught by fishing operations. These non-target organisms may be endangered + possible risk extinction + biodiversity loss.

List these fishing methods from least harmful (1) to most harmful (4):

• Trawling

• Dredging

• Longlining

• Purse seining

1. Purse seining

2. Longlining

3. Dredging

4. Trawling