We must do everything we can to protect the environment, which means paying attention to our consumption of natural resources. Sadly, some land and aquatic species have been harvested to the point where there are not many animals or plants left.
Perhaps climate change is devastating crops, or maybe hunting is causing extinction. This is overharvesting or overexploitation.
Overharvesting and overexploitation occur when we use so many natural resources that could harm the environment. There are numerous examples of overharvesting and overexploitation, and this is something that can happen to both plants and animals.
Although many people are familiar with overharvesting and overexploitation related to fisheries and whales, this can also happen to trees and flowers, particularly when they are used for food or medicinal value. Learn more about this devastation below and explore ways to prevent it from happening.
What Is Overexploitation: Overexploiting Human Populations Harvested Resources
Many plants and animals work together to create the planet we love and hold so dear. At the same time, even a small change in the environment can lead to ripple effects that impact the planet as a whole.
As human beings, our production, consumption, and wastefulness can negatively impact biospheres and ecosystems. There are several examples that people should keep in mind.
Overfishing Leading To Endangered Species
One common example of overharvesting is overfishing. This is a term used to refer to the ocean exploitation of fish.
The naked eye cannot see under the surface of the ocean, so it can be difficult to figure out exactly how many fish are left. Unfortunately, if we remove too many fish from the lakes and oceans, there will not be enough fish left to reproduce.
Eventually, certain fish become endangered species and could be hunted to extinction. Even though oceans cover the vast majority of the planet, we can still fish to the point of exterminating species from the planet. Remember that fish aren’t just food.
They also contribute to the health of the world’s oceans, which directly impact us. Therefore, if we fish too much, we could disrupt the balance of our ecosystem, contributing to harmful impacts.
There are plenty of examples of fish whose levels have dropped to the point where they are no longer sustainable. Furthermore, countless humans rely on fish for food, but if we consume too many, they may disappear altogether.
Overharvesting of Our Food Resources
There are a lot of significant threats to the planet’s biodiversity. They include:
- Overharvesting
- Pollution
- The Introduction of New Species
- Destroying Habitats
- Fragmenting Populations
As human beings, we need to eat. We need to harvest food to survive. Unfortunately, that doesn’t mean we can eat whatever we want. If we extract too many resources from the environment, their natural levels might drop, so they can no longer recover.
For example, when we harvest fruits and vegetables from the environment, we need to ensure that we leave some behind to reproduce. Furthermore, if we try to plan too many of them at the same time, we could strip natural resources from the soil, meaning that there will not be enough resources left for fruit and vegetables in the future.
Instead, it is important for us only to take what we need. We need to monitor these resources to ensure there are always some left behind for future generations. Sadly, with the significant expansion of human populations, we are harvesting many resources from all corners of the world, meaning that some plants might go extinct.
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The Tragedy of the Commons
With an example of overexploitation and overharvesting, it is time to take a closer look at the tragedy of the commons. This occurs when nobody who is harvesting resources has any reason to be concerned.
For example, from the surface, it may seem that we have many specific resources. There are many fish on the coast, or there might be many plants in the wild. As a result, everyone takes what they need because they think plenty is always left over.
Unfortunately, if everyone does the same thing, problems will develop. If everyone takes a lot of fish from the ocean or strips valuable resources from the soil, the rate at which the resource grows will be slower than the rate at which it is removed. If nothing changes, the resource will eventually disappear altogether.
It is important for everyone to be aware of the tragedy of the commons because it causes dangerous situations to be overlooked. If nobody does anything about it, the result could be extinction.
Why the Exploitation of Animals Takes Place: Reasons Behind Habitat Destruction
Before stopping overexploitation and overharvesting, it is important to look at some of the biggest reasons why these problems have emerged. Some of the biggest reasons why natural resources are exploited to dangerous levels include:
Shortage of Resources Locally
One of the biggest reasons for overexploitation is a significant shortage of locally available resources. This means that some parts of the world do not have enough food to feed their starving populations.
As a result, they take what they need. They might not care about what happens in other parts of the world because they need to survive.
This leads to the overexploitation of natural resources, including plants and animals. What happens in one portion of the world can impact another portion of the world.
Murky Regulations and Inconsistent Laws
Another reason overharvesting occurs is that murky regulations and inconsistent laws exist. This means that not every country has control over what happens within its borders. Keeping track of what is happening can be a significant challenge, and the vast majority of countries do not have control of the fishing industry.
It is possible for people who engage in fishing and whaling to avoid international jurisdiction because it can be difficult to tell who is in control when they are in international waters. They need to leave the coast so they can have access to a variety of fish and whales.
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A Lack of Education
Furthermore, a significant lack of education could also contribute to overharvesting and overexploitation. Some people may take what they want because they do not realize this is an issue.
In addition, many people do not realize that there are problems related to fish populations. They might not realize that there are laws that they need to follow, and this ignorance contributes to a significant concern.
Not All Fishing and Farming Rare Reported
Even though some countries make an effort to track how many natural resources are farmed or fished, not all activity is reported. Some people who fish in certain parts of the world are not necessarily monitored as well as they should be. Some countries also do not make an effort to track fishing or farming within their borders.
In addition, there are many problems related to customs and importing fish. The origin of the fish might not necessarily be checked, and some people use different names for the same type of fish. That way, excess fishing is not reported under a specific category, allowing them to avoid potential fines and sanctions. It is difficult to keep track of fishing that is not reported.
Climate Change Is Making Everything Worse
Finally, climate change is making just about everything worse. The vast majority of the world’s oceans are not located in a protected area.
This means that, in most parts of the world, people can fish as much as they want. This contributes to significant damage and a loss of natural resources.
As climate change continues to worsen, the world’s natural resources will continue to dwindle, and the impact of these activities will only increase exponentially. Therefore, it is important to pay closer attention to everything related to overharvesting and overexploitation.
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The Results of Overharvesting and Overfishing: What Happens Next?
Some aquatic plants and animals have already gone extinct because of overharvesting, and overfishing is a significant issue. Living organisms require resources to stay alive, but many activities are unsustainable.
This can lead to long-term impacts both on human populations and the world as a whole. Some of the most important examples include:
1. A Loss of Resources For People
Of course, one of the biggest impacts of overharvesting is that people will lose access to vital resources. Even though we need natural resources to eat, we also need them to be left behind. That way, those resources reproduce, and we continue to have food to eat.
For example, if we overharvest plants and leech natural resources from the soil, there will not be any vitamins or minerals left when we want to plant more fruits and vegetables for the next cycle.
The same can be said of fishing. If we consume all the fish in the sea, will there be any fish left behind to reproduce? Overharvesting can lead to a lack of resources for people and future generations.
2. Irreparable Harm to the Natural Beauty of the World
Furthermore, our activities are contributing to irreparable harm to the world’s natural beauty. For example, coral reefs have been under threat for a long time due to climate change and overharvesting.
If we strip valuable marine organisms from the planet, they will not be available to care for coral reefs. When these reefs are damaged, they are nearly impossible to fix. Coral reefs are essential to the ocean’s life, and our overfishing contributes to lasting damage.
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3. Disruption of Global Food Chains
When we overharvest and overexploit animals, we disrupt global food chains. For example, we eliminate important predators that regulate other populations. This is a huge problem in the oceans.
Other populations have the potential to grow unchecked, and they can drop the balance of the world. If we overfish and remove predators from the sea, other populations will expand to the point where they threaten global ecosystems, contributing to larger problems.
4. We Harm Other Animals in the Process
Because of our fishing practices, we can also impact other animals that we were not necessarily targeting. For example, if we deploy large nuts in the ocean, we may unintentionally catch dolphins, sea turtles, and other animals that are not the target.
Therefore, they end up as collateral damage and may suffer injuries that cannot be fixed. As a result, we impact other animal populations, including those we may not necessarily have been targeting.
5. Potential Financial Ramifications
Our practices might have significant financial ramifications. For example, if we damage other ecosystems because of our practices, it may be harder for other people to survive.
They may depend on the land to produce natural resources, and they might fish in their local communities to generate business. If we strip natural resources from those ecosystems, they might have difficulty making ends meet, and we can seriously harm local businesses.
6. The Extinction of Other Species
Finally, overharvesting and overexploitation can also lead to the extinction of other species. Even though removing predators from the ecosystem can contribute to a population explosion, it may also cause other predators to expand unchecked.
Then, as a result, they may hunt other animals to the point that those animals go extinct. This can lead to exponential harm throughout the world’s ecosystems, leading to imbalances that may never be fixed. It can damage aquaculture, harm food chains, and lead to unforeseen consequences.
Ultimately, all of these impacts contribute to the loss of valuable resources. Whether fish and whales are hunted to the point of extinction or plants (such as the footstool palm in Southeast Asia) suffer massive population loss, it can put biodiversity in danger and make it difficult for us to produce medicines and food.
As a result, harvesting, including fishing, must be regulated to ensure that our practices do not harm people and ecosystems.
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Examples of Overharvesting and Overexploitation
Regarding fishing, there are several examples of overharvesting and overexploitation that people need to remember. They include:
Bottom Trawling
This is one of the biggest examples of overfishing and overexploitation. This refers to the practice of dragging a fishing net along the seafloor. Then, all creatures living at or near the bottom of the sea floor are caught in the net.
Since many countries prohibit this action, it usually occurs in unregulated, international waters. Many species that aren’t even targeted are caught in these nuts, and this can cause significant damage to the marine environment. Overall, the results of bottom trawling can devastate numerous types of marine life.
Cyanide Fishing
Cyanide fishing is another example of overexploitation and overfishing. It refers to the practice of spraying cyanide into fish habitats to make them easier to catch. In addition to harming the target, it can cause irreparable harm to the rest of the marine environment.
The good news is that cyanide fishing is illegal in most countries; however, there are numerous locations where it is still used. Some portions of the world are unregulated, and these devastating practices can still be used to catch fish. Of note, cyanide fishing can also cause irreparable harm to coral reefs.
Blast Fishing
Also known as fish bombing or dynamite fishing, this practice is more common than many people realize. As the name suggests, it involves using large explosions to kill or stun fish, making them easier to catch.
They continue to occur in isolated regions, but most developed countries have rendered this practice illegal. Bombing the ocean is an indiscriminate practice that leads to a tremendous amount of collateral damage.
It can destroy the food ecosystem of a specific environment, leading to ripple effects. Of note, this is also an incredibly dangerous practice for people, as individuals in the area can also be damaged by the blast.
Ghost Fishing
Ghost fishing often refers to the collateral impacts of overfishing itself. Sometimes, when fishermen are done with the net, they drop it in the ocean. It does not dissolve when it enters the water.
Instead, it can catfish even after it hits the ocean floor. It can kill numerous marine animals in the process, ensnaring numerous others who may suffer serious injuries. It is critical for fishermen to dispose of their fishing gear safely. That way, they do not harm unsuspecting fish.
There are many examples of overharvesting and overexploitation. These practices can have severe impacts on plant and animal life worldwide. Fortunately, measures are being taken to limit the impact of these activities.
What can be done to Mitigate Overharvesting and Overexploitation?
Clearly, there are numerous examples of overharvesting and overexploitation worldwide. Fortunately, numerous efforts are being undertaken to mitigate these impacts. A few of the most important examples include:
1. Increased Education
First, efforts are being made to increase education and awareness of the impacts of overharvesting. Some people are unaware that the methods they use to fish and harvest crops harm the environment. By increasing education and awareness, it is possible to encourage other people to take steps to limit the impacts of overharvesting and overexploitation.
Furthermore, efforts are being made to educate business owners. By extending these educational curricula into the commercial world, it is possible to encourage business owners to halt overharvesting.
2. Increased Conservation and Protection
In addition, environmental groups are pushing politicians to increase the growth of conservation and protected areas. For example, more state and national parks could be made, which are demarcated areas where business activities are not allowed.
Efforts are also being made to increase the production of protected zones. These are zones just off the coast where strict rules and aquaculture methods must be followed for people to fish.
3. Halt Trawling
Trawling has been significantly limited or stopped in some parts of the world. Crawling is dangerous because it involves scraping the bottom of the river, sea, or ocean.
This can lead to tremendous ecosystem destruction, including plants and animals that live on the ocean’s surface. These might not even be the targets of fishing efforts.
By stopping trawling, it is possible to conserve the ecosystem and protect the environment.
4. Better Labeling at Grocery Stores
Even the tiniest gestures can help. Research has consistently shown that people care about where their food comes from. Some people are even willing to pay more money for food that has been developed sustainably.
Therefore, consumers can make educated and informed purchase decisions by labeling food at the grocery store. If consumers demonstrate an increased willingness to purchase food harvested sustainably, it might be possible to encourage businesses to use more sustainable practices.
5. Cooperate With International Governments
It is also prudent for developed countries to cooperate with developing countries. By working with international governments, coordinated action plans can be made to limit the impacts of overharvesting and overexploitation.
In some situations, fishers and hunters jump from jurisdiction to jurisdiction, harming the environment while assuming governments will not talk to each other. By developing coordinated international efforts, the entire community can work together to preserve fish stocks.
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6. Follow the Advice of the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC)
The Marine Stewardship Council, usually shortened to MSC, is an organization that encourages fishermen to make a living without hurting the environment. The WWF founded the council, and anglers can apply for a certification demonstrating their willingness to use methods that do not harm the environment.
Furthermore, this label can show consumers that their food comes from a sustainable source, protecting marine species, ecosystems, and resources in the process.
7. Provide International Aid
International age should also be provided to countries with a resource shortage. One of the biggest reasons why overharvesting and overexploitation occur is that the people living in these areas need these resources to survive.
If developed countries that have a surplus of resources provide those resources to countries that still need them, those countries might not have to use farming and harvesting practices that harm the environment.
These are just a few examples of steps that can be taken to limit the impact of overharvesting and overexploitation.
Protecting The Environment Is More Important Than Ever Before
As climate change continues to significantly impact the world around us, it is important for people to come together to limit the impact of human activity. By increasing awareness of overexploitation and overharvesting and changing the methods we use to produce food, it is possible to protect the environment for future generations.
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