Food Sustainability the Environmental Impact of Modern Fishing Technology and Its Consequences - Case Study Example

The environmental impact of modern fishing technology and its consequences Introduction Historically, the use and development of technology has been invariably, aimed at reducing costs, and maximising profits, across various sectors in the industry with very little or no regard for its consequences on the environment. Be it automotive industry, or textile or pharmaceutical sector, the use of technology has seen a consistent and rapid rise, with a serious impact on the environment. However, regardless of the serious consequences of excessive use of technology, across all sectors, the benefits offered by it – such as profit maximization, ease of use, and cost reduction to name a few, far over-rides all other motives, and hence it can be safely presumed that the technology aided methods and processes is here to stay. More and more industries are seen adopting such trends, and the fishing industry is no exception. Technological inventions in the fishing industry, in the recent years, has brought about a significant change in commercial fishing in terms of rise in economic profits, reduction in overall costs, increase in efficiency of catching target species, as well as other value added benefits. However, the industry is also plagued with mounting environmental concerns such as gradual degradation of aquatic life, damage to vulnerable habitats, and a disruption of the ecosystems in general. Although the use of technology is aimed at reducing the environmental impact, through use of mitigation technologies, there are various exceptions to such an agenda. Moreover, given the fact that the use of such mitigating technologies are likely to affect short-term profitability, the promotion and use of such technologies would be largely neglected, thereby leading to long term environmental damage. This paper discusses various such negative impacts of excessive use of technology in the fishing industry. Fishing technologies currently in use and their impact on environment Fishing has been a common activity in the UK since thousands of years, however the scale and scope of the industry has expanded substantially over the years. The methods and processes used for fishing has also undergone tremendous change, which are drastically different from the humble equipments – such as harpoons and hooks used in small scale, to the modern mechanised and powerful fishing vehicles of the 20th century, which are heavier, running on fuel and hence at a high risk of causing greater environmental damage. The use of synthetic fibres for ropes and nets has also increased substantially, leading to an increase in the quantity of fish caught at a given time. Moreover, the small boats are now replaced with modern and huge commercial fishing trawlers which run on fuel, and comprise of amenities such as cold storage compartments to hold fish longer, thus extending the duration for which the vessels can stay in the sea (Brina & Pollard, 1999). Benthic Trawling Benthic trawling refers to the method by which a large net is cast in the sea, and is dragged by a large fishing vessel along the seabed. Such a method is used to catch prawns, shrimps and other cephalopods. However such a fishing method also tends to affect certain non-target and rare species as well which use deep sea grounds as their natural habitat. Due to the large scale commercial fishing methods, the natural habitat of such species is disturbed, further disturbing the eco systems and causing long term irreparable environmental damage. The most significant damage caused on account of benthic trawling is the loss of substratum - a vital substance found in soft sediments, and bio structural habitats. The trawling can lead to smothering of the sea beds, reduce the availability of light and ultimately kill some species in the process (Thrush, et al, 1995). Activities such as bottom trawling and / or dredging lead to grave damage to benthic habitats which are destroyed beyond repairs. The destruction includes - damage to plants, corals, rocks and similar other structures which serve as a habitat for various species. Dredging This modern method of commercial fishing involves use of dredges which are towed behind fishing vessels, similar to benthic trawling. The size of these dredges varies and have large sharp claw like objects or chains, which are dug into the sea in an attempt to dislodge target organisms. This method is mainly used to catch species such as scallops, oysters, clams and mussels. However it also leads to disruption of aquatic life affecting non-target and extremely fragile species such as pink sea fan, sea pens, fan mussels etc are also affected in the process. The gears used as equipments are dragged at slower speeds and the claw like sharp objects of the equipment are likely to damage various buried organisms. It causes more damage to the environment and disrupts the natural habitat of various rare species in the process (CQ Researcher, 2009). Hydraulic dredging This method entails use of water jets which tend to loosen the sediments under the sea, and thereby allowing the target species / organisms to be removed effectively from the dredges. Such a method is used to catch bivalves such as cockles, razor shells, and clams as well as lungworms. This method however also leads to substantial environmental loss in terms of causing damage to certain fragile and long-lived or slow growing benthic species which may be extracted or brutally uprooted in the process, making it difficult or impossible for them to recover. This method may also destroy certain organisms on which species such as wild fowls and waders prey, thus affecting the marine eco system. The force of water jets, may lead to trenches and holes in the water bed, which are deep and long, thereby leading to loss of habitat of biogenic species (Jennings et al, 2001). Pelagic Pair Trawling This method uses a net which is trawled through water columns and dragged by two boats, and is used to catch bass, cod, whiting and other similar species. Like other methods of commercial fishing, this method too leads to habitat destruction, albeit, to a lesser extent as compared to the other methods (Jennings et al, 2001). Overfishing Previously what was believed to be an inexhaustible supply, the stock of fish is deteriorating rapidly due to overfishing, in many parts in UK as well as around the globe. There have been major reductions in fishing stocks which is largely attributed to the unchecked concentration of commercial shipping trawlers which remain in the sea for longer duration supported by advances in electronic equipment (UN ORG, 2010). According to statistics, almost 70 per cent of the worlds fish stocks are either fully depleted or exploited owing to over fishing fuelled by rapid rise and development in fishing technology (YPTE, 2010). Overfishing may also lead to a substantial reduction in the quantity of fish and hence a disruption in the food chain driving various precious species towards extinction. The species killed due to overfishing may be of prime importance in the food chain such as predators that control the eco system and help in maintaining community dynamics, the elimination of which may lead to various environmental problems (The Independent, 2006). Wastage: The rise in technologically advanced equipments which include modern navigational aids, such as GPS; satellite / aerial surveillance systems which enable the fishermen to locate schools of fish or the target species, have led to an increase in quantity of fish captured. However such modern systems do not eliminate the possibility of catching non-target species which are later on discarded or dumped as waste. Moreover, the availability of such technological aids also has led to overfishing, whereby the excess fish is treated as waste and dumped. Such activities thus, have not only caused a greater environmental damage but also driven certain species towards extinction (Fairlie, 1995). Type of equipments used Mobile gears which entails use of equipments which are towed by the fishing vessels, is among the extremely common methods used for commercial fishing, and it is regarded as the most environmentally damaging methods as well. It harms the natural habitat of various species under water, at greater levels than any other forms of commercial fishing, often leading to unwanted and incidental catches i.e. catching species other than the target ones, and as a result disrupts the marine eco system unintentionally. However, static fishing gears or methods are considered as relatively more environmentally friendly approach to fishing in terms of damage caused to habitat, although it may harm other species / mammals living under the sea. Moreover, ghost fishing, a method of static fishing whereby fishing gears are intentionally left under the sea or are either lost or abandoned, for extended periods of time, can also lead to environmental degradation. Furthermore, the nets used can also lead to large scale destruction of habitats especially when the nets are left in the sea for longer periods of time and left unattended, thereby leading to capture of various species unintentionally, wiping the species off of the area in which such nets are cast (Hofer, 2008). The excessive use of technologically advanced methods in commercial fishing is driven by a compulsive need to increase profitability, reduce costs, and increased ease in storage facilities made available through technological innovation. Over and above the steady depletion of stock it may also lead to heavy financial losses in the long term to private as well as public sector within the fishing industry. Ever since the advancement of technologically sophisticated equipments has been introduced in the fishing industry, the human effort in fishing has been replaced by modern fishing vehicles which are larger, bigger and more powerful than the old outdated systems. These systems have the capability to cover more area and capture fish from deeper and dangerous water than ever before. Also, apart from the fishing gear, there has also been advancement in the harvesting technologies. The use of trawl nets enables the fishermen to capture larger quantities of fish in a single set. The capacity of such nets is increased through the use of hydraulic winches and sophisticated technologies such as automatic hook baiters. This has expanded the scale of fishing taking it to a whole new level. Consequences of overfishing Overfishing may severely impact the fishing industry. Fish is the key product and depletion of its stock may push several sectors out of business, leading to huge financial losses. The large amount of capital investment which is made by commercial fisheries, in equipments, as well as fishing vessels to maximise their benefits may ultimately lead to huge losses. In order to avoid losses the firms involved in this business will have to capture more quantities of fish, and hence would have to go deeper in the seas, leading to more environmental degradation in the process. Furthermore, due to depletion of stock on account of overfishing, many firms will be forced out of business, leading to large scale unemployment. Persistent neglect of environmental impact of the modern technological advancement on the fishing industry, and the deliberate undermining of stability and capability of natural resources as an inexhaustible source, would ultimately affect the food supply and threaten the existence of this industry. In order to ensure sustainability of the industry as well as that of the valuable natural resources it is imperative to adopt mitigating technologies which are sound enough to eliminate the dangers of overfishing and the subsequent degradation of the habitat of various aquatic species. Conclusion There is ample evidence that point towards the fact that the current state of fishing activities has crossed all levels of sustainability and there is a grave danger to our natural resources if necessary steps are not taken in time. Various international organizations such as Greenpeace have time and again raised concerns over the steady depletion of our natural resources, which despite the use of modern technologies hasn’t ceased (Harrington, 2009). This is indicative of the fact that the existing technologies need to be modified and developed even further to ensure that the eco systems are sustained and protected from the harmful and negative effects of modern fishing gear. The fishing methods must also be enhanced so that the non-target species remain undisturbed and their habitat is also unharmed. It is in the best interest of our planet and for the human beings in general to ensure that technology is used to preserve nature rather than act as a catalyst and lead to its degradation. References Brina, G. & Pollard, S., 1999. Marine Conservation the UK Action Guide. Ross-on-Wye: Marine Conservation Society C.Q. Researcher, 2009. Issues for debate in environmental management, SAGE Publication, CA, Pp. 360 - 365 Fairlie, S., 1995. "The Politics of Overfishing," The Ecologist, Vol. 25, No. 2/3, Pp. 57 Harrington, J. L., 2009. Technology and society, Jones and Bartlett Publication, Pp. 77 - 78 Hofer, T. N., 2008. Marine pollution: New research, Nova Publishers, Pp. 69 - 71 Jennings, S., Kaiser, M. J., 2001. Marine fisheries ecology, Wiley Blackwell Publication, 101 - 110 The Independent, 2006. Trend for deep-sea trawling puts rare fish species on the oceans critical list [Online] Available at: http://www.independent.co.uk/environment/trend-for-deepsea-trawling-puts-rare-fish-species-on-the-oceans-critical-list-521674.html [16th October, 2010] Thrush, S. F, Hewit, J. E., Cummings, V. J., Dayton, P. K., Cryer, M., Turner, S. J., Funnel, G. A., Budd, R. G., 1998. Disturbances of the marine benthic habitat by commercial fishing: Impacts at the scale of the fishery, Ecological Applications, 8: Pp.866 - 879 UN ORG, 2010. Overfishing: a threat to marine biodiversity [Online] Available at: http://www.un.org/events/tenstories/06/story.asp?storyID=800 [16th October, 2010] YPTE, 2010. Over fishing, [Online] Available at: http://www.ypte.org.uk/environmental/over-fishing/29 [16th October, 2010] Read More