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Declining Fish Stock

Declining Fish Stock
One major problem facing ocean life is the decline in certain species of fish. This decline, according to many specialists, is because certain species are being over fished. In other words more fish are being caught than the species are able to reproduce (Ocean Conservancy, 2009). Many marine scientists believe that this is the greatest impact by humans on the ocean. It is stated in the video that Jeremy Jackson and other scientists believe that over fishing is worse on the ocean environment than toxic pollution or degraded water quality.
In order to rebound the fish population the following plan of action would be enacted: create areas where fishing is illegal, create fish farms within the off limits fishing areas that allow fish to reproduce in a safe environment, create a weight limit for the amount of each species that can be caught, and enforce new laws regarding the equipment that is used to catch larger fish to help reduce bycatch.
Creating no fishing areas would present challenges but it is the most important step of the process. In order to determine which areas would be deemed “No Catch Zones” research would be completed to determine where the fish breed naturally, the area of the breeding ground, and the temperature of the water in which they breed. By taking all of these things into consideration the current breeding grounds would be declared No Catch Zones. In addition we may be able to find other areas that match the conditions of the current breeding grounds and therefore create more chance that the fish will reproduce and increase their population.
Fish farms within the ocean could be created by using some of the techniques mentioned above; researching current breeding grounds and finding similar areas in which the fish could breed. No Catch Zones and the in ocean fish farms would go hand in hand. Breeding grounds would be off limits for fishing and in some areas even for boat traffic.
Another part of the...