Why Overfishing Is Bad

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In addition to the argument that new laws are harmful, some believe that they are completely unnecessary. Since 1988, the amount of fish caught around the globe annually has been dropping (“The Threats”). Scientists believe the sustainable amount of fish able to be taken from the ocean each year is between 110 million and 150 million tons (“Overfishing 652-654”). The current annual global catch is 90 million. The number of boats in New England waters has decreased from 1,200 to 580 since the mid-1990s (“Overfishing is No Longer”). There are less boats on the water and less fish being caught, which some people assume means that overfishing does not cause problems anymore. Although these numbers may make it seem like overfishing is not a huge …show more content…
All organisms have a trophic level, or a position on the food chain (Science News Staff). Researchers at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver completed a study on how removing one species affects the rest of the ecosystem. The researchers discovered that when a species of a high trophic level is endangered, such as cod or haddock, the amount of its prey, small invertebrates and plankton-feeding fish, increases (Science News Staff). This throws off the balance of the entire ecosystem. Ocean habitats can be destroyed when key contributors are taken out. The results are even more catastrophic when an animal at the top of the chain is depleted. There are 135 different shark species on the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) list of endangered animals (Science News Staff). As the number of sharks in the oceans declines, everything beneath it on the chain is disrupted. Its prey, larger fish, will increase without a huge threat from predators. When the number of larger fish increase, their smaller prey will diminish. The larger fish will suffer with the lack of food (Science News Staff). Both species will be hurt. This domino effect will move through the whole food chain, knocking the entire ecosystem down as it goes. Contrary to what some believe, overfishing does not hurt just one species that is being caught. It terrorizes whole

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