Chapter 14. Chapter 14: Fisheries and Aquaculture
Why have fisheries declined so precipitously in the last half-century...?
Guiding Question 14.3
Why have fisheries declined so precipitously in the last half-century and what is the current status of the world’s fisheries?
Why You Should Care
Fisheries have declined as fish catch has increased, but that increase doesn’t have just a single cause. Protein is an important part of the human diet, and as our population continues to grow, our demand for protein does, too.
Fish is the most common source of global food protein, and technology to harvest more fish (drift nets, larger ships, etc.) became more common in the last 50 years. In poor countries, fish is the cheapest source of protein, while in rich countries, the health benefits of eating fish has doubled its consumption per year.
Today, fisheries face the perfect storm of technology that is more efficient at harvesting fish, growing demand from both poor and rich countries, and fisheries under pressure from pollution, ocean acidification, and climate change (see Chapter 13).
Test Your Vocabulary
Choose the correct term for each of the following definitions:
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| The amount that can be harvested without decreasing the yield in future years. | |
| The fish population is well below historic levels and the population's reproductive capacity is low, meaning that recovery will be slow, if at all. | |
| More fish are taken than is sustainable in the long run, leading to population declines. |
1.
Why are higher trophic level (TL) species less common in food pyramids?
4.
Which of the following statements about fishery status is not true?
| A. |
| B. |
| C. |
| D. |
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