While the act of fishing may not be inherently bad for the ocean, as one instance is not noticable in the grand scheme of things; the act of catching fish at a rate that is faster than fish stocks can replenish can have a major effect on the worldwide fish population, this process is known as Overfishing.
The number of overfished populations has more than tripled in the last 50 years and it is estimated that one-third of the world's fisheries are currently fishing more than their biological counterparts can handle. Overfishing is caused by both legitimate and illegitimate organizations. Some legitimate organizations contribute to the overfishing of the fish population by extending the fishing period longer than necessary, and taking on excess amounts of fish. Illegitimate organizations contribute to the rapid decline of fish populations when fishing for endangered, protected, or unsanctioned populations.
Experts estimate that illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing nets $36.4 billion each year. As demand for fish increases worldwide, the overall population of fish decreases worldwide, causing entire species to alter behavior and effectively changing the entire ecosystem. Currently, fish ranks as the most highly traded food market worldwide and fuels a $362 Billion global industry. As half of the world’s population relies on fish as a primary source of protein, this drives the overexploitation of fish and environmental degradation, which contributes to the perpetuation of this circular problem.
