Wednesday, October 13, 2010

The Effects of Wrong Fishing Methods

The last 50 years have seen rapid and major changes in the development of the fishing industry. The improvement and variation of boats and fishing equipment have increased fishing capacity and efficiency and had affected the working conditions. The lives of fishermen were involved as well. Fishing has been a big deal, for a long time now. Not only does it provide us food but it's fishermans lives. They depend on the fish to keep a living. If they don't catch fish in their traps, or have a bad week they blame it on others, but what if the problem was the way they were fishing. Maybe their methods weren't good enough.
        Fishermen use a wide range of gear to land their catch. Every type has its own effects on the ocean. By selecting the right gear for the right job, the fishing industry can help minimize its impact on the environment.
If their was only one way to fish, that wouldn't be fun or reliable. Everyone has different techniques they think are more adequate than others.


1. Pole/troll fishermen use a fishing pole and bait to target a variety of fish, ranging from open ocean swimmers, like tuna and mahi mahi, to bottom dwellers, like cod. 



2. Purse seining establishes a large wall of netting to encircle schools of fish. Fishermen pull the bottom of the netting closed—like a drawstring purse—to herd fish into the center.
3. Harpooning is a traditional method for catching large fish—and it's still used today by skilled fishermen. When a harpooner spots a fish, he thrusts or shoots a long aluminum or wooden harpoon into the animal and hauls it aboard. 

4. Traps and pots are submerged wire or wood cages that attract fish with bait and hold them alive until fishermen return to haul in the catch. Traps and pots are usually placed on the ocean bottom, often to catch lobsters, crabs, shrimp, sablefish and Pacific cod.
http://www.montereybayaquarium.org/cr/cr_seafoodwatch/sfw_gear.aspx



12 comments:

  1. Which method is the best to use for deep sea fishing?

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  2. The worst method used in the four examples is the purse method. This is overfishing at its finest. It also pics up many fish that shouldn't be eaten like blow fish, which can kill humans due to a toxin inside of them.

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  3. Out of all of the methods fishermen have available which is the least harmful to the environment?

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  4. Should someone step in and keep a closer eye on the fishing industry to make sure the right methods are being used all the time or should it be left up to them and their knowledge of the ocean?

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  5. These are all good methods, but are they causing overfishing? yes the fishermen need to make a living, but using some of these methods may be causing overfishing, that could be the reason some of the fishermen aren't catching anything.

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  6. Which fishing methods are the most harmful methods of fishing?

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  7. Rob, purse fishing may not be environmentally friendly, but it can be argued that it's the most humane. Pole fishing causes a great deal of stress on the fish when are being pulled up by a single hook in them, and once above water they bleed and slowly suffocate to death. Harpooning is stabbing the animal to death. That's not nice. And traps can get cut or forgotten about, and the animal is trapped without food in a cage while they starve to death. The purse method may kill more fish, but they aren't suffering (as much).

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  8. Regardless of the way we fishing there's always a down side to it, lets find a new way to catch fish and keep them alive longer without hurting our industries.......that hasn't been down yet

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  9. Katrina, I think that it is more important to explore and employ sustainable fishing practices rather than humane ones. Only in this way can we continue to depend upon the ocean for certain fish populations.

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  10. Jordan, if we're going to find a new way to fish, we would have to experiment. This could cause more harm to the fish than the ways posted above. Could modifications be made to the ways above, that would be less harmful?

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  11. These ways are very inhumane but it is what keeps fisherman in buisness. I think personally we should find another way to catch fish and other animals a different way then this but that means experimenting.

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  12. Which method is most harmful? Which is the least? It's unfortunate overfishing is a problem and ruining some industries.

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