Sustainable Fishing. (Social Studies)

Overfishing is a massive issue. Another issue being bycatch. Bycatch is the invisible victim of the fishing industry. Bycatch is the extra ocean life that isn't meaning to be caught however are on "accident".

Surprisingly over 4.6 million commercial fishing boats cover the oceans of the earth showing that fishing is a massive industry. These commercial fishing boats have nets that can reach 100m behind the boat. The nets hold many baited hooks making it possible to catch hundreds of fish at once. A company called the dolphin-safe corporation allows their mark to be used on tuna cans ensuring that what is in the can or tin was caught safely. This means that the fishing which caught the fish didn't harm or kill any dolphin. An interview with a member of the corporation says that he can't guarantee that the fish were caught safely for dolphins even with observers aboard the shipping vessels. He says that the observers are rarely aboard ships and when they are there is the issue that they can be bribed. 

Governments, lawbreakers, and unrestricted areas all have meaning when it comes to this issue. The government has the job and responsibility to protect the oceans of their country. Governments easily give up. Even with them doing a good job there are many many people that could and would break any laws. There is also the issue that unrestricted areas could lose all the marine life that live there as the fisherman and woman wouldn't stop fishing until they couldn't catch anymore. The reason they fish so much is they can feed themselves and sell their catch for money. So buying fish products gives them a reason to catch fish which is more cause of bycatch. Therefore more dolphins are put at risk.

Why is this such an issue? Based on the research of the past 50 years the population of the bluefin tuna fish has dropped over 70%. Off the coast of France, 10,000 dolphins die a year. 300,000 dolphins and whales die a year as bycatch. If this continues there won't be fish or dolphins or whales or any marine life. The same thing happens with birdlife. They feed themselves with fish from the ocean. These birds then starve or end up caught when trying to acquire their food. Is 100% sustainable fishing possible? It is highly unlikely however not impossible. I don't believe that humans will ever be able to make the planet 100% sustainable in the fishing industry although it could be and may be done.