Overfishing: The Problem and the Solution
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Axia College of University of Phoenix

Overfishing: The Problem and the Solution

A major environmental problem that has developed over the last few years is overfishing. What is overfishing? Overfishing is simply what it sounds like. Overfishing occurs when fishermen are catching fish so quickly and at such high rates that the fish are unable to reproduce fast enough to replenish the population. It is my belief that, if this has not always been a problem, it has always been a problem in the making. This problem has progressively gotten worse as the human population that relies on fish as a food resource has increased and the equipment and techniques used by the fishermen have
Timeline:

Month 5-12

Action Items:

Protect the habitats that are more fragile and most important to restoring balance.

Action Steps:

Steps should be taken to protect certain areas in the ecosystems such as areas where fish reproduce, the sea floor, and delicate things like coral.

Timeline: Month 5-12

Action Items: Set up a system for monitoring and enforcing all of these changes.

Action Steps:

A system to ensure that fishermen adhere to catch limits and that they stay out of protected areas.

Fines should be leveled against any fisherman or fishery that breaks these rules and financial incentives should be considered for those that follow all rules and regulations.

Timeline: Month 5-12

Overfishing. (2007). A global environmental problem, threat and disaster. Retrieved July 16, 20xx, from http://overfishing.org/pages/what_can_I_do_to_help.php

Additional Problems

Overfishing leads to more problems than simply depleting the stock of fish. Destructive fishing practices such as bycatch and trawling are responsible for killing other species than the targeted fish and damaging or destroying marine ecosystems. According to Greenpeace International (n.d.), bycatch occurs when fisheries catch fish other then the targeted fish. These fish can be up to 90 percent of the catch and are often thrown back into the sea dead or alive or