helinski_bycatch

=The Effects of Bycatch on the Oceanic Ecosystem=
 * Picture Location: [[image:file:///C:/Users/Nick/AppData/Local/Temp/msohtmlclip1/01/clip_image002.jpg width="624" height="444"]]http://conservationreport.files.wordpress.com/2008/07/manta-ray-tuna-fisheries.jpg**

The devastation that is being done to the ocean’s ecosystem is at a point where mother earth may not have the ability to recover from what has already been done. It is forecasted by scientists that if fishing and harvesting of oceanographic resources continues at the rate which is currently undergoing, the Ocean’s ecosystem will collapse by 2050. This collapse will be caused by the loss of biodiversity in the world’s oceans. This loss will impede the ocean’s ability to produce seafood, resist diseases, filter pollutants and be able to handle the pressures of a changing climate.

One of the large reasons for this loss of biodiversity is bycatch. Defined as ocean dwelling creatures caught unintentionally in fishing gear, bycatch leads to many harmless animals being killed as a side effect of commercial fishing. Improvements have been made to fishing gear in efforts to lower this rate or unintentional killing, yet none have proved to be immensely successful. Latest numbers have estimated that eight percent of world catches are discarded due to unintentional catching, but earlier numbers have reported of upwards of one quarter being thrown overboard.

In weight perspective, that is equivalent to somewhere between 6.8 and 27 million pounds of catch are discarded every year. Estimated levels included around 100 million sharks and rays, 300,000 crustaceans, 100,000 albatross and countless numbers of other animals are killed when tangled in fishing gear forcing many species on the verge of extinction. Efforts to modify fishing gear and use alternate methods, such as closing down fishing areas during particular seasons, have shown some improvements in the bycatch levels, but still prove to be ineffective and the need for change still exists.

__**Work Cited**__ "Bycatch | Greenpeace International." //Greenpeace | Greenpeace USA//. Web. 04 Feb. 2010. . "Bycatch -." //Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia//. Web. 4 Feb. 2010. . "Bycatch." //Rhode Island Sea Grant College Program//. Web. 04 Feb. 2010. . CBC News. "CBC News - Technology & Science - Researchers project collapse of seafood species." //CBC.ca - Canadian News Sports Entertainment Kids Docs Radio TV//. CBC News, 2 Nov. 2006. Web. 12 Feb. 2010. . "Science/AAAS | Science Magazine: Sign In." //Science/AAAS | Scientific research, news and career information//. Nov. 2006. Web. 04 Feb. 2010. .