Why do we take the oceans so much for granted?
Although seafood is not as popular in the United States as it is in other countries, this does not change the fact that its demand has doubled in the last fifty years. Our global demand for seafood has neared 1.5 million tons of fish per year and of course this problem of overfishing can be largely attributed to corporations and a few large companies. When only 13 companies control almost 40% of all fish caught in the ocean, then we should review their methods and have governments regulate their intake. With new fishing techniques and advancing technology it's easier than ever to catch tons of fish. Because it is so easy, companies have taken advantage of this and will fish a species to extinction if they can (which they have). The largest freshwater species, The Chinese Paddlefish, has recently gone extinct due to overfishing.
We have this belief that the ocean is infinite and invincible, the same belief that has caused so much destruction to our forests and atmosphere. It is hard to believe how many fish there are in the ocean, and it is even more unbelievable how we have managed to rob the ocean of entire species of fish. It is bad enough we poison the oceans with CO2 causing whole pods of seals to wash up dead, and leave coral reefs bleached and lifeless, we also feel the need to take as much as we can get from it as soon as possible. It is honestly horrifying to see how some fishing practices are performed such as shark finning or bottom trawling where nets are scraped against the bottom of the ocean to catch fish, usually destroying coral reefs and other ocean habitats.
Fish can still be largely consumed in a sustainable way if we only take the time to move to these better methods of fishing. There are certain species of fish such a squid that can be fished sustainably due to their large numbers. Offshore fish farms and aquapods are also much better ways of raising fish and preserving the environment than traditional fish farming. Our oceans also need to be protected in the same way we protect national parks on land. It’s unfortunate we only have roughly 2% of the ocean protected compared to 15% of land. We may have an ocean without fish someday if we can’t end ocean acidification and unsustainable fishing.
This is a great point you are bringing up here! This is just another example of how we destroy nature and the environment around us. The crazy part is, that the Oceans take up more mass of the planet, than land does and there are so many things still unknown about it. Instead of destroying it, we should put more effort into exploring and learning more about it.
ReplyDeleteAnother thing is, that we literally poison ourselves, when we eat overfish, especially when it comes from sources that are not reliable and part of the Mass production. Right now, there is a trash field, the size of Texas swimming in our oceans. We put plastic in the sea every single day and fish confuse it as food. Parts of the plastic come up the food chain and we consume the plastic that we waste every single day. Not only that, but some of the stuff fish consume might only be a small amount of some kind of metal or other product and it accumulates while it goes up the food chain. In the end, we are the consumer and might eat an amount of something that could be poisonous to humans. I think it is kind of karma, because what goes around comes around.
That only means we are hurting the ocean population in two ways and there needs to be change or species are going to become extinct, that we did not even know about.
The thought that there could be more plastic than fish in our oceans is just appalling. We know better, but act as though the sea were an infinite and endlessly self-regenerating resource and repository designed strictly for our benefit. An ocean depleted of fish isn't just bad for our dinner tables, it's sure to be every bit as disruptive of life on land. We need a new Jacques Cousteau for our time, to lead the crusade.
ReplyDeleteI think we can oftentimes see the ocean as a forever resource is because it takes up so much space. Because it takes up more space than land on this planet, we approach it as being infinite, and thus exploiting and destroying it in practice. Things like the huge oil spills also show how we can ignore the ocean so frequently. Because there aren't many people living on top of the ocean, we can forget the importance of the water. When there is a wildfire or an earthquake, we are rushing to help the people affected who live in the areas. When it's in the ocean, however, it is easy to show willful blindness and ignore it all together.
ReplyDeleteI love that I was not surprised to hear that there are only 13 companies responsible for half of this damage. Just another way to demonstrate that we need a new system. It is a reminder that we as humans believe we are superior to all other life forms and how sickening that fact can truly be. Along with the fishing and the CO2 emissions it is also sad to see how much trash we have let go to collect in the ocean. The fact that the Great Pacific Garbage Patch is 2x the size of Texas and that there is more garbage in other oceans just floating around is saddening.
ReplyDeleteThe thing I want to address about your post Patrick was how you say the Federal government needs to do more to protect our oceans. Technically speaking the Federal Government is doing a lot, especially when take into account that most of the seas are not owned by any specific government.
ReplyDelete