Fisheries

Fisheries are harvested based on their value. They can be wild or farmed, freshwater or saltwater. For example, the tuna fishery of the Eastern Pacific. Capture fisheries can be categorised as small-scale, industrial scale and recreational. There are certain species fisheries all over the world for echinoderms, molluscs and more.

The science of harvesting or producing fish and other aquatic resources for the purpose of providing humans and for the purpose of obtaining fish products, namely oil, recreational sports, obtaining ornamental fish and more. Typically, a unit is defined by some authority to be a fishery. Basically, a fishery is defined based on the type of fish, the number of people involved, the class of boats, the method of fishing, the seabed and the purpose of activities.

Overfishing 

A fishery may involve the process of raising fish through fish farming or capturing wild fish. More than five hundred million people depend upon fishery, directly or indirectly, for livelihood. Overfishing has become one of the reasons for a decline in fish stocks and employment in several developing countries. In simple words, overfishing can be defined as overexploitation, where fish stocks are reduced below the acceptable level.

Overfishing can occur in various water bodies of different sizes, such as rivers, ponds, lakes and even oceans, and it may end up in resource depletion, a low biomass level and a reduction in biological growth rates. Sustained overfishing may sometimes lead to critical depletion. For instance, overfishing of sharks has resulted in damaging marine systems.

Critical depletion occurs when a level of depletion is very high enough that the population will be no longer able to sustain itself. It mainly occurs when there is a decline in population size. This may ultimately result in fishery collapse or even local extinction.

Resource Depletion 

Resource depletion refers to the consumption of resources faster than expected. We all know natural resources are divided into renewable and non-renewable resources. Suppose the usage of resources beyond replacement is termed resource depletion. It is a common term that is used regarding farming, mining, consumption of fossil fuels and usage of water.

There are several reasons for resource depletion, and some include deforestation, soil erosion, mining of minerals and fossil fuels, overpopulation, slash-and-burn agriculture practices, aquifer depletion, contamination of resources and much more.

Types of Fisheries 

Fisheries are done either for subsistence or commercial. Most of the world’s fisheries account for nearly ninety per cent of oceans or seas. The marine catches have relatively stayed constant. Most of the marine fisheries are carried out on the coast. The main reason for this is it is relatively easier in shallow waters than in open seas.