Overfishing: What is it?

Figure 2. Piles of a fishery catch in Senegal (wordwildlife.org)

Overfishing is described as the depletion of fish populations to the point were their levels are unsustainable.

Fish are extremely depended on economically by humans (Figure 2). They are relied upon as a primary source of protein and considered a delicacy by many (4). Thus fish affect humans on a local, national and global scale. Their high value has caused their depletion to go to the extreme.


Currently, humans have an overcapacity in fishing capability for our earth and their methods of fishing exacerbate the overfishing problem (1). Bycatch is the fish that are unintentionally caught by the fishery (10). Often times these fish are just left for dead (Figure 3). Figure 4 is a clip from "Finding Nemo" and give a great example of Dory becoming bycatch.

Figure 3. Example of bycatch (non-discriminatory for what species
 have been caught and killed in the process of fishing for primary fish. (www.greenpeace.org.uk)

Another fun fact: Dead fish can't replace themselves. Human fishing creates the problem that we are catching marine-life before they are mature enough to reproduce (5).

                     Figure 4. Unfortunately, fish aren't smart enough to "swim down" so say goodbye to you're little friend Dory.