The impact of sustainable fishing practices

There is no doubt that modern industries have an influence on the environment. Maritime and shipping industries influence the quality of water and life in the seas and oceans. We asked experts from FindyourFish about how these two sectors affect nature. We also learnt more about sustainable fishing practices, how they can help with some environmental problems, and how they can reduce other sectors’ negative impact.
Impact of the maritime and shipping industries
Maritime and shipping industries are very important and needed in the modern world. However, they need to focus on more environmentally friendly solutions.
With so many ships and cargo going through the ocean, the water becomes more polluted. Additionally, those industries significantly pollute the air.
In case of a ship’s crash or other problems, there is a risk of an oil spill that can be devastating for the sea and all living creatures. Additionally, many ships drop ballast water. This water usually contains various biological materials, such as viruses, bacteria, plants, and animals. Sometimes these materials are invasive, and can cause damage to the fragile aquatic ecosystem or even lead to epidemics among humans.
Overfishing – a big issue
Overfishing is a huge issue of our day and influences not only marine biodiversity but also has a huge impact on the lives of people around the world. Overfishing causes species to shrink or even become extinct. In effect, people who rely on the ocean as a main source of food need to sail further into the sea and risk their lives often or simply need to emigrate to other areas. In turn, this can cause overfishing of other areas or even raise territorial conflicts.
There are over 26 million tons of fish caught illegally every year. Some people gain wealth on this, while many others suffer with the grave consequences of overfishing. This is why it is so important to focus on sustainable fishing practices.
Importance of sustainable fishing practices
Sustainable fishing is based on small-scale methods that can provide not only food, but also better social and economic situations for many people. Of course, they are less invasive for the environment than commercial fishing.
In sustainable fishing, the marine ecosystem is respected. It also ensures that the balance is right to make sure that all species can survive. In this type of fishing, catching endangered species or species that don’t have any commercial value is not practiced.
In the case of bycatch, everything is used to prepare fishmeal. Thanks to that, there is less food waste. Because around 66% of all catches go directly to human consumption, the use of the shipping industry is minimized and thanks to that, there is less pollution.
Around 90% of all the global fishing industry is employed in sustainable artisanal fishing. That promotes creation of small fishing communities that are self-sufficient.
Thanks to sustainable fishing, it is possible to reduce pollution from the maritime and shipping industries. Sustainable practices generate less waste, less energy consumption, and less chemicals.
This article is shared by courtesy of FindyourFish – findyourfish.net