water_fishing

Impacts on the Fishing Industry

The impact upon the small fishing villages were horrendous. Numerous villages on the coasts of Maine, United States and Newfoundland, Canada became "ghost" villages. In some places, fishing is their way of making money, and without any fish that you can eat, they cannot sell or make any money.It is estimated that the fishing industry around the world needs 250% more than the fish can produce in the ocean. If the oil is polluting the water, then we cannot get the fish that we need to eat. And with no fish, than many other causes are affected also. Also with many dead fish and water animals floating at the top and some at the ground, they can rot and spoil the air. When the air is spoiled, and consumend into ones respiratory system, diseases and other things can harm the body. Oil damages the motors of boats and destroys the sensitive equipment aboard research vessels throughout the world. Health problems that arise from oil accidents and diseases from water pollution force the goverments to temporarily close down the fishing business in the danger areas. This often means the only loss of income for families whose livlihood depnds solely on the quantity and quality of fish taken from the sea.

The Prestige supertanker released over 4000 tons of of heavy fuel oil when it split in half in Portuguese waters. Spreading 200 kilometers along the Galician coast in Spain, fisheries were closed and financial aid was promised by the goverment for local fishermen. Whole communities between Roncudo and Cape Tourinan that depended entirely upon fishing were affected. The area was world-famous for shellfish, octopus, and crabs. It is already predicted that 100 million euros and over 2,500 jobs in the fishing industry will be lost as a result.

One way to catch fish is "blow fishing". This is the process where they cause an explosion in the water, then the pressure of it kills or injures the fish. Because of this it causes them to float to the top. But if the fish is polluted with oil, then the fish is useless and died for no cause. So let us not kill our fish in the water, and put them to waste.

Back To Main Page