Overfishing is a major global problem. As countries struggle to make more money and boost the economy, they frequently turn to the earths resources to plunder and overuse. Many people don't realize that the worlds resources, especially it's animals, are not inexhaustible, and that nature is a delicate balance that once upturned, is about impossible to restore. In today's world, people are getting greedy and what we're seeing is tragedy of the commons. As each country tries I beat the others in strength, they try to eat up as many resources as they can to prevent others from taking it. I think it's horrible how many animals and fish are dying unnecessarily. Big fishing companies bypass and find loopholes in laws and regulations and fish far beyond the renewable rate, wiping out entire species and causing the whole ocean to suffer, just to make quick but large profit. Most of the fish produced is wasted as excess, whether on the dinner plate or in the markets, since more is harvested than demand requires.
People have taken the worlds resources too much for granted, in this case, marine creatures. Yes, fisheries may make big bucks on a day to day basis, but lets look at it from a long term perspective. Even if people don't care about the ethics of letting whole species die out, they should care about their futures. If we kill all the fish now, what will be left in the future for food? Not to mention, the harms the loss of organisms in the species will have on the health of the earth as a whole. When one species goes extinct, it causes a huge loop of extinctions, a positive feedback loop that once initiated, can't be stopped. The number of dolphins, whales, and fish being killed in Japan alone can contribute to the extinction of 35 species of large marine organisms per year.
People have started taking what they have on their plates for granted, and many take the earth's resources for granted. We have lost the respect for the lives we are taken to sustain ourselves, and now kill ruthlessly and unnecessarily without even respecting the lives we take. The native Americans used to kill for meat only when they really needed it. They worshipped the animals they killed as gifts for their survival, and regretted having to take lives away for their own. They used every part of the animal and didn't let any go to waste. Where have those days gone? Every time I go to grocery stores and restaurants, I see pounds and tons of food being thrown away as if its nothing. We are not only ravaging the earth, but we are not even paying it respect by using what we take.
This needs to end. If we are going to take the lives of other creatures, we should do it sustainably and with respect. We need to stop overkilling and making actions just based on quick profit, no matter how much money is offered and how desperate we are.
I love your perspective. Economically, overfishing is so short-term. However, it is important to have empathy and realize the financial urgency of developing countries. When you have no financial reserves, money is needed in that moment. Thought of the future is overridden by thoughts of starvation and economic collapse. With that being said, I still stand entirely next to you. I think the approach, though, needs to be through ethical subsidies from stable governments or outside organizations that support sustainable fishing practices and limits. I'm so glad to have someone else who is passionate about the environment!
ReplyDeleteIt's nice to see how devoted you are to this cause, Anjana. Something needs to be done to save our environment, including this overfishing issue, before it is too late. I don't think we realize how much damage we have done because it's all happening in the ocean, away from our sight and conscience. The images/cartoons were pretty powerful too, so props to you on finding those.
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