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Answer the following questions for each chapter section and then answer the Central Question.
How are commercial fish populations harvested and managed?
What is the relationship between nutrient availability and primary production in the marine environment?
How does El Niño affect fisheries along the west coast of South America?
How is overexploitation of whale and marine fish stocks related to the Tragedy of the Commons?
What impact do large dams have on migratory fish populations?
In what ways does aquaculture affect the aquatic environment and wild fish populations?
What management strategies are being used to make harvests of aquatic resources more sustainable?
How does biodiversity contribute to the productivity and stability of aquatic resources?
How are migratory salmon responding to removing dams from spawning streams?
What tactics are being used to reduce the environmental impacts of aquaculture?
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Fishery and aquaculture products are a major part of the diets of people around the world. Demand for them continues to increase, creating even more pressures on marine and freshwater environments already threatened by overexploitation. One way that each of us can help foster more sustainable use of these resources is by making informed choices.
□Keep informed.
Keep up to date on developments in sustainable fishing and aquaculture both in your region, if you live in an area with commercial fishing or aquaculture, and globally. Explore issues, such as the status of GM salmon and what is being done to prevent aquaculture from threatening wild fish stocks. Learn about the sources of fish and shellfish in your area. If you live in a fish-
□Buy and consume sustainably managed aquatic resources.
Several organizations rate seafood on its level of sustainability. The Monterey Bay Aquarium provides online evaluations of the most sustainable sources of fish and shellfish for individual consumers and businesses. Its website (www.seafoodwatch.org) rates all types of seafood and categorizes them into “green,” “yellow,” and “red” seafood categories (there’s also an app!). When shopping for seafood at grocery stores and markets, look for the blue check mark labeling “Certified Sustainable Seafood MSC” used by the Marine Stewardship Program, which reviews fisheries and certifies those that are being managed sustainably.
□Speak up!
Talk to restaurant owners and supermarket managers and ask them to serve and supply seafood that is sustainably harvested. You can also write to local and federal policy makers and encourage them to establish laws and initiatives that protect marine areas and aquatic health.