Extinction Of Local Fish Species Due To Over Exploitation Fishing

Overexploitation through fishing can lead to a decrease in local fish species populations, potentially resulting in the extension of some species. Overfishing removes fish from a water body at a faster rate than they can reproduce, leading to reduced biomass and a shift in the fish community structure, potentially making some species less common or even disappearing. This can also impact the overall ecosystem by reducing the food supply for other animals and disrupting the balance of the food web. Reduced Population Sizes. Fish food is an important nutritive food for human beings. It provides vitamins and minerals, including B vitamins, zinc, and iron. Some oily species of fishes contain omega-3 acids, which are beneficial fats that humans must obtain from their diet. The United States Department of Agriculture recommends that most people eat seafood twice weekly as part of a balanced diet. Several researchers have investigated the nutritional value of fish and its importance in human diet from various perspectives. Some studies revealed that fish consumption helps prevent cardiovascular diseases, high blood pressure, cholesterol, Alzheimer’s disease, and various types of cancer. Fish and fisheries products are recognized not only as some of the healthiest foods on the planet, but also as some of the less impactful on the natural environment (FAO). According to (FAOUN, 2019) over 1 billion people are still largely dependent on fish as their primary source of protein, with many of these being in developing countries with urbanized coastal areas. An increased demand for fish, combined with ever-growing world populations, sees our rivers and oceans struggle to keep up with the rate at which we are fishing from these water bodies. The global proportion of overfished fisheries has steadily increased from 10% (1974) to 32% (2008). Overfishing, a fundamental cause of the crisis facing our rivers and oceans, is the result of the failure of our fishing management. This paper focuses on current risk of ecosystem overfishing and increasing trend in the number of unsustainable fisheries.