365 Days of Climate Awareness 201 — The Decline of the Great Barrier Reef: Overfishing
While not properly an aspect of global warming, the overfishing of the Great Barrier Reef among others worldwide is one aspect of humanity’s direct impact on our environment, which combines with others to result in the ruin of ecosystems.
While not properly an aspect of global warming, the overfishing of the Great Barrier Reef among others worldwide is one aspect of humanity’s direct impact on our environment, which combines with others to result in the ruin of ecosystems. Fishing, while restricted throughout much of the reef area, is still important economically, generating $1B per year, second only to tourism in the reef zone.
Nets which physically impact the coral directly cause mortality by breaking polyps off and damaging the hard reef structure. Furthermore, removing too many fish can leave predators like the crown of thorns starfish and other invasive organisms like algae to flourish. These effects are indirect but no less important.
Both commercial trawling and recreational rod fishing do damage. Scallops, shrimp, and crabs are caught commercially. Several different species of fish are caught both commercially and recreationally. The Queensland government has tried to update fishing regulations in response to recent bleaching events, particularly in 2016 and later, but has not achieved much cooperation with commercial fishers. Where the health of the reef is the ultimate determinant of fishery management success, even quota-type measures employed by NOAA can fail of their objective, since the reef is sensitive to many factors other than fish populations.
Tomorrow: shipping and boating activity.
Be brave, and be well.
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About Michael Sutherland
Family man, scientist, singer, writer, dancer, and all-around lover of life.