New Geography in Action Junior Cycle Geography Overfishing
Fish are a renewable natural resource, but they can be over-exploited by overfishing. This is when fish are taken from the water faster than they can reproduce. This is a major problem in Ireland and elsewhere, causing many people to lose their jobs.
Reasons for overfishing
Overfishing has occurred for the following reasons:
• Membership of the EEC (EU): When Ireland joined the EEC in 1973, we gave up control of our waters and how we fish. We then had to share our fish with other member countries. This meant that foreign trawlers could now fish in Irish fishing areas. This led to more and more fish being caught.
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Radar Life raft
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Bow Rudder Net
• Modern technology: The improvement in sonar technology and radar equipment means fish are easier to locate and catch. The increase in the size of trawlers means they can stay out at sea for longer and therefore catch more. Trawlers are also now accompanied by factory ships which are able to process the fish at sea and keep them refrigerated, allowing trawlers to stay at sea for even longer.
Propeller Shoal : Figure 4.11 Modern trawlers use technology in everything they do
• Mesh sizes: The mesh size of the nets used to be too small and it led to young, underdeveloped fish being caught. This reduced the opportunity for the fish to breed and replace their stocks.
• Seasons: As there was no closed season for fishing, all fish could be caught all year round. This meant fish were not able to breed and replace their stocks.
• Quotas: The lack of quotas meant there was no limit to the amount of fish a trawler could catch. ACT VITY
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Sonar
: Figure 4.12 A trawler from thirty years ago
: Figure 4.13 A modern ‘supertrawler’
Compare these two photographs. How has fishing changed? Why do you think we need to be worried about the size of supertrawlers?
