Sustainable Fishing - Social Studies

Let us talk about sustainable fishing nowadays. It is pretty difficult to catch fish sustainably, especially now that we have modern ways to do so. Methods like long lining and purse seining. Though it is not the most sustainable way, it surely is the easiest. Being able to harvest fish sustainably is very important since the ocean's circle of life depends on it. Taking too much of a specific kind of fish or marine life could cause other kinds to overpopulate. Let's go back to one of the modern methods, longlining. Like I said this method is one of the easiest because all you have to do is attach a long line at the back of your boat with hundreds of hooks attached to it. Now from what it sounds, it is not as sustainable. Doing this could result from you catching different species, not the ones you are after. That is called "By-catch". By-catch is marine species, caught by accident. Common ones are whales and dolphins; Affecting them very negatively, especially when they are already in danger of extinction. 

 

One sustainable way of fishing is Spear Fishing. This method is known worldwide and is also used for millennia. This is the most sustainable method since you have to use your own mental and physical strength. You have to target a specific type of marine species and not just go out, throwing spears at random ones. This is also sustainable since you don't ruin the environment. You don't just leave spears around. 

How is commercial fishing a threat to dolphins and birdlife (by-catch)?

Talking about dolphins, they have been severely affected since over 300,000 dolphins are killed EACH year as by-catch. The same goes for birdlife. They get caught by diving for bait then end up getting hooked.