Overfishing
Seafood is a minor contribution to the human diet. Although you may think seafood is a large staple, it only contributes to about 4% of the world’s food needs. As more and more people inhabit our planet, the need for protein also increases, and fish has been cited to be a healthy addition to a person's diet. This prompts mankind to harvest the ocean for its fish and shellfish. Each American eats an average forty-seven pounds of seafood per year.
Every action has a consequence, and harvesting fish is no exception, as seen in the statistics below:
In areas around the world, the fish stock is at risk of being overfished, or being fished more than the ecosystem can bear at that location. Ideally, it is best to maintain sustainable fish stocks, where the fish population does not decline over a period of time because of fishing practices. Besides fishing for personal consumption and hobby, there are two types of fishing: commercial and industrial. In this interactivity, you will learn about commercial and industrial fishing and the effects they can have on the ocean. Click the player button to get started.
View a printable version of this interactivity.
Overfishing Practice
Now that you have learned how overfishing can affect the ocean and its fish stock, check your knowledge. In this non-graded interactivity, follow the instructions on each question slide. Click SUBMIT to check your responses. Click the player button to begin.