ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT

CHAPTER 5: OCEAN AND FISHERY

1. Oceans as a resource
Goods and services we get from the Ocean:

Goods Examples Services Examples

Food Fish, shellfish, seaweed, algae Transportation Shipping lanes, ports
Energy Oil, natural gas, Tourism Coastal tourism, cruises
tidal energy (from high and low Climate Regulates temperature, allows
tides), wave energy. Regulation precipitation.
Minerals Oil, gas, sand, gravel, salt etc. Oxygen Phytoplankton and marine plants
Production produce oxygen, even more than
forests!
Medicine Some pharmaceuticals come from Biodiversity Support for diverse marine
marine organisms. ecosystems
Carbon Absorption and storage of
Sequestration carbon dioxide.
Recreation Scuba diving, water sports

2. World fisheries
Finding the Fish:
Fish rely on phytoplankton, for food, so they are found in areas where conditions favor the growth of
phytoplankton. The area needs:

 Light: The primary limiting factor due to absorption in water.

 Shallow Water (not too deep): Fish tend to be found in shallower waters where light
penetrates for photosynthesis.

Such place is called the Continental Shelf: that’s where major fisheries are located.
Key Terms

 Phytoplankton: Small organisms in the sea capable of photosynthesis, forming the base of
marine food chains.

 Euphotic Zone: The top 200 meters of seawater where light penetration allows photosynthesis.

Another important factor for Phytoplankton development: Mineral Nutrients

Necessary for phytoplankton growth and protein synthesis. (Nitrogen, Sulfur, Phosphorus, magnesium)

Current Systems play a vital role as they’re responsible for stirring up decaying material from the seabed
to bring up mineral nutrients to the continental shelf, supporting important phytoplankton. This is called
upwelling.

3. Overfishing:
Overfishing is when the number of fish that is caught is greater than the rate at which the fish
reproduce, leading to a fall in fish numbers in an area.

Causes of Overfishing of Marine Fish Species

 Increasing Demand: from rising global population.

 Technological Advances and better Equipment:

 Bigger Boats: capable of long distance massive operations.

 SONAR and Weather Data: Technology helping in locating fish more efficiently.

 Huge Nets: Massive nets catch larger quantities of fish, leading to bycatch.

 Impact of Overfishing

 Lack of Growth in Fish Catch:

 Decreasing Fish Size: fish size reductions have been observed and linked with
overfishing periods.

 Harvest of Untargeted Species: Unintended catch of protected, or endangered species,

contributing to biodiversity loss.

 Food chain imbalance: Overfishing disrupts the marine food chain, causing ecosystem
problems
 4. Sustainable Fishing Practices
Practices aimed at maintaining fish populations at healthy levels for long-term sustainability.

 Aquaculture: farming aquatic organisms, including fish, shellfish, and aquatic plants, under
controlled conditions.
When it’s performed directly in their natural habitat, it’s called Mariculture.

Benefits of Mariculture: (less pressure on wild fish populations, allowing them to recover. Stable Production,
Ensures constant fish production. Reduced Bycatch: Controlled environments minimize unintended catches.
Environmental Preservation: Prevents seabed erosion caused by trawl nets).

 Quotas: Limits set by law makers on the quantity and type of fish that can be caught.

 Closed Seasons: laws to close fishing activities during specific times, usually breeding seasons.

 Protected Areas and Reserves: Some areas are designated as off-limits to fishing, especially
where endangered species breed.

 International Agreements: they aims to control domestic waters, conserve resources, enforce
international agreements, develop underused fisheries, and protect habitats (for example
UNCLOS: UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, regulating fisheries in international waters).

 Economic Exclusion Zone: Each coastal country has a 200-nautical-mile zone to manage
fisheries sustainably.

Challenges:

Despite all efforts towards sustainable fishing practices, challenges such as illegal activities,
enforcement issues, and evasion tactics persist. Oceans are vast and difficult to manage,
greediness of men is unmatched. There is a constant need for improvement on regulation and
enforcement in fisheries management.

Good luck!!!