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The Bane of our Seas: Overfishing

Jude Bislig

English 138T

Professor Babcock

20 April 2022
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Overview

In our current world, about 40% of all sharks, rays, and other similar fish are at risk of

extinction, concentrated around the tropics and subtropics.1 Three of these species have not been

seen in over 80 years. And to make it even worse, around 20% of overall fish species are

unaccounted for due to a lack of data, meaning even more of the wildlife could be endangered.2

The main perpetrator? Overfishing. Even though habitat loss, pollution, and other factors

negatively affect the wildlife of the oceans, overfishing is the single biggest threat to hundreds of

species, which can snowball into catastrophic effects on food webs and ecosystems under the

sea.3 Current policies surrounding fishing often promote catching as much fish as possible to

maximize profit, but this comes at the cost of our oceans. Looking at humanity’s negative impact

on the declining state of these oceans, it is clear that a change is necessary in our fishing

practices, through more cohesive policy changes and regulations as well as updated incentives

for efficient yet eco-friendly ways to fish that are reasonable for anglers to follow.

Discussion/Background

Why is overfishing so common? For the most part, fishing is a sustainable practice that

acts as the main source of livelihoods and revenue for coastal communities.4 When done

correctly and responsibly, fish populations are able to stay stable, even with the loss of fish due

to the fisheries. For example, European fisheries support a massive amount of people (5.4

million in the EU) and generate about 500 billion euros per year, in fact.5 The fishing industry is

also especially strong in the United States as well. Between 2015 and 2016, “commercial and

recreational saltwater fishing in the United States generated more than $212 billion in sales and
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contributed $100 billion to the country’s gross domestic product.” 6 In addition, saltwater

recreational fishing was able to hold around 470 thousand jobs and generate $68 billion in sales

during this year.7 But unfortunately, overfishing alongside factors like pollution, oil and gas

extraction, and mining have led to devastating impacts on the ecosystems present across the

globe. By definition, overfishing is catching fish faster than stocks can replenish.8 Not only does

it lead to a massive decrease of the current population of fish, but it also has more subtle

implications. Since larger fish are most often caught while smaller ones are released, it leads to

trends where the size of fish populations are actually smaller on average than in the past.9 This

may have unpredictable effects on the subsequent maturation as well as reproduction rate of

these species.10 And when a large portion of a species disappears, it also can have volatile effects

on the food webs present. Other animals that depend on these fish for food could also die out, for

example.

In addition, this overfishing is often unregulated and free to run rampant. The demand for

fishing has increased due to more demand for seafood, inadequate management, the creation of

more efficient methods of fishing, and more: “The number of overfished stocks globally has

tripled in half a century and today fully one-third of the world's assessed fisheries are currently

pushed beyond their biological limits.”11 This is alarming since fisheries are being emptied at far

greater rates than are sustainable, especially with rising demand.

Figure 1. Sustainability Levels of Commercial Fish Stocks12

Figure 1 from the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) shows that in 2013 around

30% of fish were caught at unsustainable rates, while 60% were fished at reasonable levels.13 It is

alarming to see this common downward trend both in species that are underfished as well as

species that are sustainably fished. When people care more about profit than environment, it

leads to this overfishing among other irresponsible and illegal practices, especially since the

profits due to licit fishing are negligible compared to illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing

(IUU fishing).14 In current conditions, it is almost impossible to compete in the markets without

some form of illegal action. 15

Types of Practices and Consequences

There are also many types of irresponsible fishing practices, including cyanide fishing,

the use of explosives, and bottom trawling - dragging heavy nets across the ocean floor and

collecting absolutely everything in their path.16 Not only are they destructive, but they also

enable bycatch, or the capture of species that are not targeted.17 If they are not wanted, since they

may not sell for anything or are illegal to purchase, they are dumped back into the ocean and

may die due to injuries anyway. This is not limited to only fish. It is quite a common occurrence

that sea turtles, dolphins, birds, and other animals also are caught and unintentionally are killed.18

Explosives are one type of tool utilized for catching fish. When dynamite or other similar

explosives are used, it can kill or stun fish, which are then collected afterward. Unfortunately,

there are very profound effects on the environment. Coral in colonies are often obliterated,

disrupting ecosystems that many species of marine life depend on.19 Recovery would be possible

in these areas, but if explosives are continually used in the same area it will render that biome

dead. Often used in tandem is cyanide, a deadly chemical that is used to stun fish for collection.

However, since between a third and a half of fish harvested in this manner die, it is very

inefficient and damaging to the oceans.20 In addition, loose nets in general can also entangle

animals and suffocate them, even after months of deployment if they have been abandoned.21 If

nothing is done, these species which have been present for up to hundreds of millions of years

could disappear, and countless ecosystems utterly obliterated. To be an angler, one must know

their responsibilities and that they hold the future of the ocean in their hands. If fishing is not

done properly and in sustainable levels, it will also economically drain those communities that

purely depend on this industry as well.22 When paired with other issues like climate change and

pollution, it will be impossible for these communities to make a living without pivoting.
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Figure 2. Threats to Coral Reefs23

Apart from surface level consequences, there are more sinister undertones in the fishing

industry. With minimal enforcement for working conditions and catch quantities, it leads to

exploitation of workers as well as smuggling of drugs, weapons, animals, and even humans.24

Working conditions are also downright horrible, with up to 18-hour work days, sexual and

physical abuse of fishers aboard illicit vessels, and child labor.25 When illicit fishing methods

blow legal fishers out of the water and destroy their livelihoods, it often forces those fishers to

turn to more devious methods in order to compete, only exacerbating the overfishing problem.

Options / Recommendations
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What ways forward are there to help mitigate this prevalent issue? Afterall, it is very

difficult to detect illicit fishing practices. And when people are caught, it is often too late. Again,

major problems in the fishing industry lie with the quality of policies. In their present state, these

policies encourage poaching to keep up with others who are doing the same.26 One promising

solution is more defined and structured government policy across countries as well as incentives

for complying. These incentives include economic incentives or social incentives, which would

be shaped to align both self-interest as well as the larger goals of communities.27 Social norms

would affect behavior through the notion of reputation and credit. Of course, reputation

incentives are based more on inner beliefs of doing the right thing, which means they may be

more subjective depending on the person and subsequently may be less effective if social

pressure is not applied. In general, these incentives would have the goal of benefitting fishermen

when they keep fisheries sustainable. By rewarding fishermen for letting fisheries heal, they are

more likely to follow stable fishing guidelines.28 But how might one go about enabling this

behavior? It would be very difficult to change the minds of people in such a cutthroat industry.

One reasonable solution is giving fishers access to a percentage of the harvest or a reliable area

to fish through legislation or otherwise.29 This way, it “provides motivation for fishers to act as

stewards of the resource and allows fished populations to increase.”30 Lubchenco also says that

the United States has seen great success with this mindset, with a policy by the National Oceanic

and Atmospheric Administration in 2010 which encouraged the spread of these catch shares as

well as the Magnuson Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act Amendments of 1996

and 2006.31 These two act amendments required an end to overfishing and established catch

limits with strong punishments if the limits were surpassed. Other forms of policies that can be

implemented to mitigate overfishing - besides catch limits - include controlling the amount of
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by-catch and regulating nets, protecting important habitats like coral reefs and fish nursing

grounds, and even restoring the amount of plankton so that the food chain remains stable.32 On

top of this, a more rigorous monitoring system will only be beneficial to keep order and protect

the licit fishing industry. However, there must be unification in the codes of policy across the

oceans as well as agencies so that there are standards to fishing restrictions, “Disparate policies,

legal frameworks, and language barriers create loopholes for IUU fishers to take advantage of,

and actors like policymakers, judges, and customs officials are often not coordinated in their

response to IUU fishing across the region.”33

To mediate between countries and create common ground, different agencies like the US

Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Seafood Alliance for Legality and

Traceability are promising, since they can hold training sessions with multiple countries to

establish common standards and language while also providing enforcement and inspection of

tools, vessels, and other relevant materials.34 Agencies can also hold governments that turn a

blind eye to illicit fishing accountable and initiate better governmental programs.35 The reason for

turning this blind eye? If illicit fishing is beneficial to political interests or global interests, it may

make governments hesitate to shut it down. As such, “Weak governance and endemic corruption

have been a hindrance to efforts to combat IUU fishing for decades.”36 By holding these

governments accountable, it could put enough social pressure on them to ensure fair play on the

seas.

Educating the public on the dangers of illicit fishing as well as seafood overconsumption

also could have merit.37 If more people realized the dangers of overfishing and incorrect fishing

methods on the environment, it could reduce the amount of attempted IUU fishing. Once some or

all of these policies and incentives have been ingrained into the industry, it could finally have a
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chance to accomplish a very important feat: restoring the appeal and benefits of licit fishing.38

Again, this is not possible while there are incentives to participate in illicit activities, so it will

take the effort of many different people and groups combined to shift the mindset of an entire

industry.

Implementation

Once again, it requires the cooperation of many different agencies and governments to

crack down on overfishing, since it is a relatively global issue, although concentrated on certain

areas. Without this cooperation and enforcement, there would be little to stop illegal actions from

bubbling under the surface, and current economic incentives prioritize catching as much fish as

possible to create extreme amounts of profits, which harms the environment and ocean

ecosystems to a great extent. Governments also have to realize that illicit fishing does much

more harm than good, and even if they lose out on profits in the short term, it will be necessary

for the state of the environment as well as oceanside communities that solely depend on fishing

to prosper. Different nations have already taken steps to combat IUU, such as Operation North

Pacific Guard - an agreement with Canada, China, Japan, South Korea, and Russia - and the

Pacific Maritime Security Program for Australia. 39 Now, if it does come to pass that there is

global collaboration, it will then be possible for there to be a cohesive effort to implement new

incentives that benefit anglers for protecting their share of ocean as shared earlier. Once again,

these catch share incentives have already seen success in the past through legislation like the

Magnuson Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act Amendments of 1996 and 2006.

In addition, specific policies that can be implemented for fisheries. An example of a fishery that

has rebounded is the West Coast Groundfish Individual Fishing Quota (IFQ) fishery.40 Originally,

it “was declared a federal disaster after decades of overexploitation under conventional fishery
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management.”41 However, by aligning personal interests with long-term incentives through

giving fishers a guaranteed percentage of the total catch, it lowered the amount of fish over

caught and led to less cheating among fishers. The results included reductions in bycatch,

increases in profits, and the recovery of different species in the fishery.42 In addition, policies

integrating isolated fisheries into larger networks and reducing gaps in management will make it

easier to monitor suspicious behavior.43 It does take time for fisheries to regain their former

stature, but after many years, these species of fish may be able to come back from the brink.

Through joint efforts of the influence of governments and the capabilities of agencies across

different nations, these policies will be able to make a difference for the creatures of the sea.

Call to Action

Our oceans and the ecosystems that reside within are essential for many people across the

globe. Entire communities base their livelihoods on being able to fish, and if overfishing is not

dealt with, many different species of fish and other animals that have existed for up to millions of

years will vanish, never to be seen again. Generations down the line might not even know what a

shark or ray is. Coral reefs and other ecosystems could be all but gone by then, and the many

schools of unique and vibrant fish alongside this. Considering how these policies and incentives

are generally on a governmental scale, it is important for the public everywhere to vote for

officials who understand the meaning of conservation as well as the dangers of illicit fishing

practices. These officials cannot give into economic pressures for the sake of our environment.

People should also educate themselves on overfishing and its consequences so that they can

grasp the scope of the issue better. Social influences are extremely powerful, and if the public
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looks down on illicit practices, it may cause these fishermen to reconsider their stance for fear of

backlash.

Another way to advocate for sustainable fishing is joining one of countless organizations

that do this very thing. For example, the Alaska Sustainable Fisheries Trust in Alaska, Catch

Together in Massachusetts, The Northwest Atlantic Marine Alliance, and Oceana are all

organizations that devote their time and resources to advocate for better conditions, support for

legal fishers, ocean restoration, and much more.44 As people on planet Earth, we are the ones to

determine its future. We have the power to decide if the future will be wrought with destruction

or filled with hope for a healthier planet. And one way we can improve is through protecting our

oceans and the wildlife within. If we are to see hundreds of species come back from the brink of

extinction (and continue to enjoy the delicacies of seafood), we must do our part.
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Endnotes

1. Wilkinson, Allie. “Overfishing Could Push European Fish Species to Extinction.”

Science, 3 June 2015,

https://www.science.org/content/article/overfishing-could-push-european-fish-species-ext

inction.

2. Ibid.

3. Sankaran, Vishwam. “Overfishing Threatens over One-Third of All Shark and Ray

Species, Says Study.” The Independent, Independent Digital News and Media, 9 Sept.

2021,

https://www.independent.co.uk/climate-change/news/overfishing-sharks-rays-extinction-s

tudy-b1915393.html.

4. “Overfishing and Destructive Fishing Threats.” Reef Resilience Network,

https://reefresilience.org/stressors/local-stressors/overfishing-and-destructive-fishing-thre

ats/.

5. Wilkinson, Allie. “Overfishing Could Push European Fish Species to Extinction.”

6. “Economic Impact of U.S. Commercial, Recreational Fishing Remains Strong.” National

Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 13 Dec. 2018,

https://www.noaa.gov/media-release/economic-impact-of-us-commercial-recreational-fis

hing-remains-strong#:~:text=Saltwater%20recreational%20fishing%20supported%20472

%2C000,7%20percent%20from%202015%20measurements.

7. Ibid.
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8. “What Is Overfishing? Facts, Effects and Overfishing Solutions.” WWF, World Wildlife

Fund, https://www.worldwildlife.org/threats/overfishing.

9. Ibid.

10. Ibid.

11. Ibid.

12. Meyers, Joe. “We Are Eating More Fish than Ever. Can Our Oceans Cope?” World

Economic Forum, 11 July 2016,

https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2016/07/3-charts-that-help-explain-the-future-of-fishin

g/.

13. Ibid.

14. Seminario, Margarita. “Development Solutions to Address Illegal, Unreported, and

Unregulated Fishing in Latin America and the Caribbean.” Development Solutions to

Address Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated Fishing in Latin America and the

Caribbean | Center for Strategic and International Studies, 19 July 2021,

https://www.csis.org/analysis/development-solutions-address-illegal-unreported-and-unre

gulated-fishing-latin-america-and.

15. Ibid.

16. “Overfishing and Destructive Fishing Threats.”

17. “What Is Overfishing? Facts, Effects and Overfishing Solutions.”

18. Ibid.

19. “Overfishing and Destructive Fishing Threats.”

20. Ibid.

21. Ibid.
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22. “Overfishing and Destructive Fishing Threats.”

23. “How Does Overfishing Threaten Coral Reefs?” National Ocean Service, June 23, 2016.

https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/coral-overfishing.html.

24. Seminario, Margarita. “Development Solutions to Address Illegal, Unreported, and

Unregulated Fishing in Latin America and the Caribbean.”

25. Ibid.

26. “How to Reverse the Overfishing Crisis.” Environmental Defense Fund,

https://www.edf.org/oceans/how-turn-around-overfishing-crisis.

27. Lubchenco, Jane, et al. “The Right Incentives Enable Ocean Sustainability Successes and

Provide Hope for the Future.” PNAS, 2 Dec. 2016,

https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.1604982113.

28. Ibid.

29. Ibid.

30. Ibid.

31. Ibid.

32. “Overfishing and Its Effects on the Oceans.” Oceaneos,

https://www.oceaneos.org/state-of-our-oceans/overfishing/.

33. Seminario, Margarita. “Development Solutions to Address Illegal, Unreported, and

Unregulated Fishing in Latin America and the Caribbean.”

34. Ibid.

35. Ibid.

36. Ibid.

37. Ibid.
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38. Ethan, Allen, et al. “Policy Recommendations for Combatting Overfishing and Fisheries

Crime.” Daniel K. Inouye Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies, 26 Oct. 2021,

https://apcss.org/nexus_articles/policy-recommendations-for-combatting-overfishing-and

-fisheries-crime/.

39. Ibid.

40. Lubchenco, Jane, Elizabeth Cerny-Chipman, Jessica Reimer, and Simon Levin. “The

Right Incentives Enable Ocean Sustainability Successes and Provide Hope for the

Future.”

41. Ibid.

42. Ibid

43. Allen, Ethan, Deon Canyon, Christine Brown, and Michael Long. “Policy

Recommendations for Combatting Overfishing and Fisheries Crime.”

44. Nierenberg, Danielle. “24 Groups Working towards a More Resilient Fishing Industry.”

Food Tank, 23 Nov. 2020,

https://foodtank.com/news/2020/11/organizations-supporting-sustainable-fishing/.