Overfishing the oceans - is it happenning?

We hear all about land species disappearing ... but not much about those species in "the deep". However whenever I read about it it seems there is a serious problem down there ...

Our planet is mostly water .... it needs to be well managed ... are the oceans being overfished?

Originally posted by flexmore
We hear all about land species disappearing ... but not much about those species in "the deep". However whenever I read about it it seems there is a serious problem down there ...

Our planet is mostly water .... it needs to be well managed ... are the oceans being overfished?

I heard on PBS a radio interview with an oceanographer that fish might even be GONE in another 50 years. I think that may be a bit overstating it but the message is clear, don't overfish which is what we are doing now, dredging up megatonage of fish every year. There are only so many fish in the ocean, its not an infinite # so we could literally eat them all.

Originally posted by flexmore
We hear all about land species disappearing ... but not much about those species in "the deep". However whenever I read about it it seems there is a serious problem down there ...

Our planet is mostly water .... it needs to be well managed ... are the oceans being overfished?

Yes, for the last 80 years...where you been?

Originally posted by sonhouse
I heard on PBS a radio interview with an oceanographer that fish might even be GONE in another 50 years. I think that may be a bit overstating it but the message is clear, don't overfish which is what we are doing now, dredging up megatonage of fish every year. There are only so many fish in the ocean, its not an infinite # so we could literally eat them all.

I know the Canadian government has stopped all Cod fishing on it's East coast due to overfishing. Of course, this hasn't prevented Spanish and other country's boats from fishing in the area.

It just shows that one country alone can't really do anything if others are just going to sit in international waters and take the same fish they are trying to save.

Originally posted by flexmore
We hear all about land species disappearing ... but not much about those species in "the deep". However whenever I read about it it seems there is a serious problem down there ...

Our planet is mostly water .... it needs to be well managed ... are the oceans being overfished?

Many of the larger shark populations have declined in excess of 90% in the last 20 years.

Cod stocks began to collapse in the northern hemisphere in the 1960's (ish).

The methods we use to fish are also problematic, which destroy the ecosystems over time that the larval / adult fish depend on.

Ghost fishing kills many species of fish, birds, mammals.

Pollution / rubbish etc also major problems.

Larval fish are also being harvested to supplement aquaculture.

Tuna are herded into pens (I believe they do this for other species too).

Tools hunt trophy fish for fun, this often kills them.

Shark finning kills ~200 million shraks per year.

Not only are many fish stocks declining in number, but they are also becoming smaller in body mass (due to lack of time to grow to full maturity).

Overall I think the oceans have been mis-managed for decades, i hope we can resolve this situation and quickly.

I tried to post on some real truths that I have witnessed about polluting the oceans, but it was deemed "innapropriate and banned" Nobody wants you to know the truth!

Originally posted by steve645
I tried to post on some real truths that I have witnessed about polluting the oceans, but it was deemed "innapropriate and banned" Nobody wants you to know the truth!

please try again using different words ... i would like to know

Originally posted by timebombted
Many of the larger shark populations have declined in excess of 90% in the last 20 years.

If I had to make a choice to lose any one species in the world, those nasty
oar munching b******ds would be right at the top of my list!

Originally posted by Thequ1ck
If I had to make a choice to lose any one species in the world, those nasty
oar munching b******ds would be right at the top of my list!

Before making snap judgements after watching a movie from the 80's maybe you need to consider the benefit larger sharks provide to a stable ecosystem?

Of the ~470 shark species, how many do you actually think have bitten oars? And within that species, it will not be a normal everyday behaviour...... most likely a provoked response.

Even from a utilitarian perspective it is worth keeping sharks in our oceans.

Originally posted by flexmore
We hear all about land species disappearing ... but not much about those species in "the deep". However whenever I read about it it seems there is a serious problem down there ...

Our planet is mostly water .... it needs to be well managed ... are the oceans being overfished?

The price of cod says it is.

Originally posted by timebombted
Before making snap judgements after watching a movie from the 80's maybe you need to consider the benefit larger sharks provide to a stable ecosystem?

Of the ~470 shark species, how many do you actually think have bitten oars? And within that species, it will not be a normal everyday behaviour...... most likely a provoked response.

Even from a utilitarian perspective it is worth keeping sharks in our oceans.

Let me see. We're worried about running out of fish and at the same
time worried that by killing all the large sharks, we will have a surplus
of fish that were once their prey.

Hmmm...I'll have a shark burger please with a side order of 'get the
hell out my ocean you nasty prehistoric tooth'n'tail waste of space'
fin soup and then I'm off for a swim. Perfik!

edit. Case in point great white munches a swimmer of coast of WA
right in front of a diner full of people having their breakfast.
Locals go out to hunt it down only to be told it's 'protected species'.
Go figure.

Originally posted by Thequ1ck
Let me see. We're worried about running out of fish and at the same
time worried that by killing all the large sharks, we will have a surplus
of fish that were once their prey.

Hmmm...I'll have a shark burger please with a side order of 'get the
hell out my ocean you nasty prehistoric tooth'n'tail waste of space'
fin soup and then I'm off for a swim. ...[text shortened]... .
Locals go out to hunt it down only to be told it's 'protected species'.
Go figure.

Removing a top predator from any ecosystem can be very detrimental for more reasons than just a surplus at the next trophic level.

Finning is barbaric and unsustainable.

Its not your ocean, and I'd gladly protect any shark species over people like yourself. No shark should be hunted down just because a surfer / swimmer got biten whilst in the sharks territory, even if its a common species.

I'm a Marine Biologist in Australia, so I'm quiet aware of the risks and reality of this shark situation. We are in their water, the risk is ours, if they attack they are not to blame.

Originally posted by Thequ1ck
Hmmm...I'll have a shark burger please
.....and then I'm off for a swim. Perfik!

Don't forget to wait an hour!

Originally posted by flexmore
We hear all about land species disappearing ... but not much about those species in "the deep". However whenever I read about it it seems there is a serious problem down there ...

Our planet is mostly water .... it needs to be well managed ... are the oceans being overfished?

Out of sight, out of mind.