Fisheries Explained
Fisheries are an organized effort by
humans to catch fish or other aquatic species, an activity known as Fishing.
Generally, a fishery exists for the purpose of providing human food,
although other aims are possible such as sport or recreational fishing, or obtaining ornamental fish or fish
products such as fish oil. Industrial
fisheries are fisheries where the catch is not intended for direct human
consumption.
Regardless of purpose, however, the term fishery generally refers to a
fishing effort centered on either a particular ecoregion or a particular species or type of fish or
aquatic animal, and usually fisheries are differentiated by both criteria.
Examples would be the salmon fishery of Alaska, the cod fishery off the Lofoten islands or the tuna fishery of the Eastern
Pacific. Most fisheries are marine, rather than freshwater; most marine fisheries
are based near the coast.
This is not only because harvesting from relatively shallow waters is easier
than in the open ocean, but also because fish are much more abundant near the coastal shelf, due to coastal upwelling and
the abundance of nutrients available there.
Fisheries have
been important parts of human life and food production throughout history.
Fisheries have become a part of human cultures and mythologies, providing a
community identity and a subject for artists throughout the ages. Partially,
this is because fisheries are irretrievably wrapped up in humanity’s perpetual
fascination with the sea, and partially, because they have been a major source
of food and income for many communities throughout the ages. One of the world’s
longest lasting trade histories is the trade of dry cod from the Lofoten area to the southern parts of Europe, Italy, Spain and Portugal. The cod trading started during the viking period or before, has
been going on for more than 1000 years and is still important.
Today, fisheries are estimated to provide 16% of the world population's protein, and that figure
is considerably elevated in some developing nations and in regions that
depend heavily on the sea. Fisheries are a huge global business and provide
income for millions of people. Fisheries have been and continue to be culturally
important for many communities as well.
According to The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture 2002
(published by the Food and Agriculture
Organization of the United Nations), in 2000, total world capture
fisheries production was 86 million tons. The top producing countries were, in
order, the People's Republic of China
(excluding Hong
Kong and Taiwan), Peru, Japan, the United States, Chile, Indonesia, Russia, India, Thailand, Norway and Iceland. Those countries accounted for more than half
of the world's production; China alone accounted for a third of the world's
production. Of that production, over 90% was marine and less than 10% was
inland.
The methodology used in fisheries varies based on the region, the species
being fished for, and the amount of income and technology available to the
fisher. A fishery can consist of a single person with a small boat hand-casting nets, to a huge fleet of
trawlers processing tons of fish per day. Some common commercial techniques
today are trawling, seining, driftnetting, longlining, and gillnetting.
For some communities, both currently and historically, fisheries provide not
only a source of food and work but also a community and cultural identity.
This shows up in art, literature, and traditions. These communities are generally those
that have been historically dependent on fishing as a source of income and food.
There are large and important fisheries worldwide for various species of
fish, mollusks and crustaceans.
However, a very small number of species support the majority of the world’s
fisheries. Some of these species are herring, cod, anchovy, tuna, flounder, mullet, squid, shrimp, salmon, crab, lobster, oyster and scallops. All except these last four provided a
worldwide catch of well over a million metric tons in 1999, with herring and sardines together providing a catch of
over 22 million metric tons in 1999. Many other species as well are fished in
smaller numbers, both locally and globally.
Fisheries
science is the academic discipline of managing and understanding fisheries.
It draws on the disciplines of biology, ecology, oceanography, economics and management to attempt to provide an integrated
picture of fisheries. It is typically taught in a university setting, and can be the
focus of an undergraduate, master's or Ph.D. program. It is in universities worldwide, usually
organised as multidisciplinary programs involving parts of traditional
university disciplines. In some cases new disciplines have emerged, as in the
case of bioeconomics. A few universities also offer fully
integrated programs in fisheries science.
Considering the importance of fisheries, and that they depend on a natural
resource, it is no surprise that there are many pressing environmental issues
surrounding them. These can be classed into issues that involve the availability
of fish to be caught, such as overfishing, sustainable
fisheries, and fishery management; and issues surrounding
the impact of fishing on the environment, such by-catch. These fishery conservation issues are
generally considered part of marine
conservation, and many of these issues are addressed in fisheries science
programs. They are also, however, controversial. There is an apparent and
growing disparity between the availability of fish to be caught and humanity’s
desire to catch them, a problem that is exacerbated by the rapidly growing
worldwide population. As with some other environmental issues,
often the people engaged in the activity of fishing – the fishers – and the scientists who study
fisheries science, who are often acting as fishery managers, are in conflict
with each other, as the dictates of economics mean that fishers have to keep
fishing for their livelihood, but the dictates of sustainable science mean
that some fisheries must close or reduce to protect the health of the population
of the fish themselves. It is starting to be realized, however, that these two
camps must work together to ensure fishery health through the 21st century and
beyond.
Reference Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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