Over-Fishing
Over-fishing is defined as catching too many fish too quickly, so the breeding population becomes too depleted to recover. Over-fishing includes wasteful types of commercial fishing that haul in massive amounts of unwanted sea life, which are then discarded. As a result of prolonged and widespread over-fishing, it is assessed that nearly a third of the world’s fisheries are now in jeopardy. Over-fishing endangers ocean ecosystems and the billions of people who depend on seafood. Without sustainable management, our fisheries face collapse and a potential food crisis.
Three billion people worldwide depend on seafood as a protein source.
Traditional fishery management has motivated fishermen to catch as much as possible as quickly as possible, without regard to the long-term health of the fishery. But when fisheries institute rights-based management, fishermen become highly motivated to become stewards of their oceans.