Overfishing

Many marine ecologists think that the biggest single threat to marine ecosystems today is overfishing. Overfishing means catching fish faster than they can reproduce. It is a non sustainable use of our oceans.

Overfishing reduces the fish population until fish are so depleted that fishermen cannot make a living any more. This can occur in a body of water anywhere from a pond to an ocean.

Today the modern fishing industry is dominated by fishing vessels that far out-match nature's ability to replenish fish. Giant ships using state-of-the-art fish finding sonar can pinpoint large schools of fish quickly and accurately. The ships are outfitted like giant floating factories with fish processing and packing plants, which are huge freezing systems and powerful engines that drag enormous fishing gear through the ocean. Put simply: the fish don't stand a chance.

Evidence of overfishing is seen throughout U.S. waters, including the near-disappearance of fish that were once abundant, and the shrinking sizes of average-sized fish. Many fish are caught before they are old enough to reproduce.

Overfishing is causing changes in our oceans’ ecosystem, which may never be reversed, particularly in light of the fact that the world population continues to increase along with increased consumer demand for seafood.

Seafood Savvy is brought to you in partnership with Monterey Bay Aquarium.