The Fishing Industry in the Gulf of Mexico: Social and Environmental Roles in the United States - Research Paper Example

 The Gulf of Mexico is an important region in United States and the neighboring countries. The strategic geographical location and the natural resources endowments in the region offer unique opportunities and challenges to the neighboring communities. According to GMP (2011), the Gulf of Mexico joins maritime ports of five southern American states and six Mexican states with the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. The American states include Alabama, Florida, Mississippi, Texas and Louisiana while the linked Mexican states include Yucatan, Quintana Roo, Tabasco, Tamaulipas, and Vera Cruz. The mainland shore of the Gulf is shared by the United States and Mexico and it covers more than 4000 miles from Cabo Catoche in the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico to Florida Keys the US (GMP, 2011). According to GMA (2008, p5), the Gulf of Mexico covers an estimated area of about 600,000 square miles. Due to its unique location, the Gulf is rich in diverse natural resources that play a critical role in defining the economic, environmental, political and social dimensions in the region. According to GMA(2008, p2), the gulf offers aquatic resources that include recreation, navigation, commercial fishing, oil and natural gas in addition to rich habitats for diverse marine life. This paper investigates the problems associated with commercial fishing in the Gulf of Mexico and their impacts on the American culture. According to GMA(2008, p7), the five US states bordering the Gulf of Mexico have a total gross domestic product of over $2.2 trillion and much of the economic activities depend on the natural resources from the gulf. The economic contribution of the Gulf of Mexico to the United States is significant. Colgan (2004, p 46) notes that tourism and recreation provides over 620,000 jobs while the crude oil from the region contributes approximately 27% of the national oil production. Moreover, commercial fishing in the region produces more than 1.2billion pounds of seafood annually for domestic consumption and for exports. In addition, the gulf plays significant role in water transport because six out of the ten large-scale ports are located in the region GMA (2008, p9). These ports provide the country with a good infrastructural network of enhancing international trade. The population growth in the gulf region has been increasing, recording 103% growth from 1970 to 2008 (GMA, 2008, p 11). The region is highly attractive to job seekers and retirees because of the availability of many opportunities and favorable climatic conditions. By 2015, Polunin (2008, p 37), predicts population increase of 10 % in the gulf region compared with an average of 7% in total population of the United States. The rapid population growth in the region has resulted to a vibrant construction industry to cater for the housing needs. According to GMA (2008, p 11), 30 percent of the leading counties in building residential houses are located in the gulf coast region. The Gulf of Mexico is prone to natural disasters such as hurricanes but residential developments are on the increase. In addition to residential buildings, construction of seasonal homes is also gaining prominence in the gulf region. This is attributed to the scenic attractions that draw people from all over the country for vacations (GMP, 2011). The Gulf of Mexico is one of the largest water bodies in the world and it consists of a wide marine diversity ranging from shrimps to unexploited corals in the deep horizons of the water. Due to the wide ecological diversity of the region, many environmental activities have been established in the Gulf of Mexico. They include national parks, wildlife preservation regions and wetlands. According to GMA (2008, p13), half of all the wetlands in United States are located in the coastal areas in the gulf. The wetlands provide suitable habitats for a wide variety of biological resources including sea turtles, fisheries, nesting waterfowl in addition to colonial water bird rookeries (GMA, 2008, p13). In addition to the wetlands, other important features that form the Gulf of Mexico ecosystem include estuaries, bays, tidal flats, barriers islands wood forests and mangrove forests. The unique ecological diversity sustains local economies by offering rich fishing regions and recreational facilities. The fishing industry in the Gulf of Mexico is both commercial and recreational. Recreational fishing is one of the major attractions for the local and foreign tourist who visit the region for adventure. According to Allan and David (2007, p26), over 3.6 million residents in the Gulf of Mexico participate in the sport annually. The increasing popularity of recreational fishing has recently become a matter of concern following a gradual decline in the number of the targeted fish species in the region. The main species of fish caught during recreation expeditions include the spotted sea trout, red drum, red snapper, sheepshead and king mackerel. The five species accounted to over 43 million pounds of fish caught in 2006 recreational trips in four states in the Gulf of Mexico excluding Texas. The region is one of the most popular recreational destinations in the United States accounting to over 40% of all marine recreation catch in the country (GMA, 2008, p14). Commercial fishing is one of the main economic activities in the Gulf of Mexico. The multibillion fishing industry supports millions of livelihoods in the region and it also plays a significant role in the economy of the United States. The main seafood that supports the commercial fishing industry includes fish, shrimp, crabs and oysters (GMA, 2008). According to Polunin(2008, p 47), the gulf of Mexico accounts to about 83% of all shrimp landings in the United States with an average output of about 254 million pounds. In addition, the gulf produces 56% of all oyster landings in the country. In total, the Gulf of Mexico produces about 1.3billion pounds of commercial fishery per year worth over $622 million (GMA, 2008, p15).The vibrant fishing industry has contributed immensely in development of tourism in the Gulf of Mexico. The excellent seafood restaurants and beautiful sceneries in addition to the favorable climatic weather condition attract millions of tourist annually to the region. Tourism and recreation industry is an important employer in the gulf that accounts to 8% of all jobs in the region (Colgan, 2004, p 29). Oil and gas are other important resources in the Gulf of Mexico that play an important economic role in the region and in the country as well (API 1999, p354). According to EIA (2011), the gulf region accounts to about 52% of the total crude oil production in the United States and 54% of the total natural gas production. Moreover, 47% of the total national oil refinery capacity is in the region. The sector employs over 107,000 employees who receive a total of $12.7 billion in wages per year. Besides the economic importance, the oil industry plays a major environmental role in the gulf region (EIA, 2011). The recent oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico caused heavy environmental damage that almost ruined the thriving fishing and tourism industries. The Gulf of Mexico plays a crucial role in the economy of the United States by providing good ports for international and local trade. According to Polunin (2008, p92), 60% of the leading ports by tonnage in the United States are located in the region. The strategic location and favorable coastline enhances more sea commerce in the gulf region than in any other place in the United States. For many years ports in Louisiana and Texas are the top two leaders in handling sea traffic in the United States (Polunin, 2008, p 41). Besides fishing, crude oil, tourism and transport resources, the Gulf of Mexico has diverse habitats that form an important ecological zone in the region. These habitats are unique and they form important breeding grounds for the marine life. They include coral reefs, barrier islands, hyper saline lagoons, wetlands and marshes. In addition, sponge beds, mangrove forests, deep coral reefs and oyster reefs form an important component of the Gulf of Mexico ecosystem. Barrier islands protect aquatic habitats from strong winds and waves (Weber, Townsend and Bierce, 1992, p 25). Padre Island, an example of Barrier Island is located in Texas and secures the habitats of some of the most endangered aquatic animals such as Kemp Ridley turtle. Coral reefs form important habitats for marine invertebrates, fishes and different types of algae. Green algae are important primary producers in aquatic ecosystems providing nourishment to animals in higher trophic levels such as fish. Mangrove forests provide favorable breeding grounds for aquatic animals in addition to protecting the shoreline from strong winds and waves (Weber, Townsend and Bierce, 1992, pp 32-37). Oyster reefs provide suitable habitats for oysters especially in Alabama. Moreover, hyper saline marshes are suitable habitats for some oysters that are specifically adapted to live in salty conditions. Other important ecological features in the Gulf of Mexico include cypress tupelo swamps and white sand beaches. These natural features play crucial environmental role in ensuring productivity of the gulf coast in addition to perpetuating and preserving the rich biological diversity (Casey, Dewees & Wilen 1995, p18). Consequently, the states in the region are able to sustain economic activities especially fishing and tourism. The Gulf of Mexico is susceptible to both natural and human induced disasters. The region experiences frequent hurricanes that have affected the environment and human settlement considerably. In 2005, hurricanes Rita and Katrina caused massive displacement of people, loss of human lives and heavy economic losses. The losses included destruction of many commercial vessels and onshore infrastructure on Louisiana’s coast, the worst affected state by the hurricanes. According to GMA (2008, p18), Louisiana seafood industry suffered an estimated $1.3 billion following the effects of hurricane Katrina. The recent oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico caused heavy short-term environmental and economic damage in the region and environmentalist fear that there are still long-term effects to come. Though the quantity of oil that leaked into the Gulf of Mexico from the disaster is still contested, there is no doubt that volume exceeds the previous oil spills in the gulf such as the Exxon Valdez. In this respect, the environmental and economic impacts of the oil slick are expected to be the heaviest ever to be experienced in the history of the United States. According to GMP (2011), the disaster caused immediate economic and environmental effects mainly in the coast of four states, including Louisiana, Florida, Alabama, and Mississippi. Fishing industry was the first to experience the effects because all fishing activities were stopped causing heavy economic losses. The ecological impact of the Gulf oil spill disaster included lowering the concentration of dissolved oxygen especially in hypoxia zones in the Gulf of Mexico. The declined levels of oxygen in water affected the respiratory process of marine life causing death and decreased production along the aquatic food chains. The large quantities of oil spill contaminated the breeding habitats for marine animals such as sea turtles, fresh water alligators, sharks, shellfish and aquatic birds (GMP, 2011). The oil spill damaged feathers and wings of aquatic birds limiting their mobility. In addition, the oil dispersants used to breakdown oil molecules to enhance quicker microbiological action were toxic and they altered the ecological state of the gulf region further (GMP, 2011). Though the spill was later contained, the full ecological impact of the spill supersedes the heavy losses incurred by the United States and BP. The Gulf of Mexico contains very sensitive habitats that are very prone to environmental and artificial hazards. In this regard, it is important to protect and conserve the habitats in order to sustain life and productivity of aquatic biodiversity. In cognizance with the crucial role that the habitats and fisheries play in the economy of the region, the fisheries authorities use various methods to protect them. These techniques include establishment of large protective areas in the regions with endangered species. In United States, the protected areas include national parks, federal parks and sanctuaries that are built to prevent human beings from encroaching and damaging the targeted habitats. The second method includes prohibiting the use of specific types of gears that are used for fishing in order to protect the targeted species especially fingerlings and shrimps from the threat of overfishing and mortality. Areas containing highly sensitive habitats such as corals reefs have also been indentified and fishing in such areas is highly restricted or prohibited. Establishing the annual catch limits is another important measure undertaken to conserve fishing habitats from overfishing and to maintain optimum sustainable yields of the aquatic resources (Allan, & David, 2007, p 39) According to GMA (2008, p19), Gulf of Mexico Fisheries Council is responsible for determining the annual catch limits in addition to enforcing other preventive measures of ensuring that overfishing is curtailed. However, Casey, Dewees and Wilen,(1995, p237) argue that establishing the catch limits is one of the challenging preservation measures because of the difficulties associated with determining the exact endangered species and their population in a particular habitat. Moreover, data for the various varieties of fishes in the gulf region is not available. This shortcoming is further complicated by the fact that the gulf region does not keep biological data of the some species of fish and lack of frequent stock assessments is common (Casey, Dewees and Wilen, 1995, pp238-243). In spite of these challenges, the relevant fisheries authorities have determined the annual catch limits and established relevant measures of managing species of fish that are prone to overfishing. The species in which catch limits have been imposed include the red snapper, greater amber jack, gray triggerfish and the gag grouper. Establishment of limited access privilege programs to fisheries resources is another important measure undertaken by the American fisheries authorities to protect the aquatic life. The programs allocate particular segment of the catch limit to particular portions of the society. According to GMP (2011), the Magnuson –Steven Act has three types of limited access privilege programs in the Gulf of Mexico. They include fishing quotas on individuals, the community and the regional fishery organizations. Assigning fish limits to the individuals, communities and the fishing organizations offers several benefits to all fishing stakeholders. To the anglers, the programs provide more flexibility which enables them determine when and how to fish in particular period. This enables them enhance efficiency and safety measures during fishing expeditions in the region. The limited access privilege programs provide the fisheries authorities with a better and flexible management programs that necessitate formulation and enforcement of good preservation measures in the region. In addition, the fisheries authorities are able to enhance natural resource conservation since the total catches of all quota holders does not usually exceed the limit allowed for commercial catch. Moreover, the programs enhance the execution and monitoring of the fisheries preservation regulations with heightened accountability on the authorized anglers (Allan, & David, 2007, p218) Limited access privilege programs have been implemented in the Gulf of Mexico with impressive levels of success. The overcapacity of the red snapper fish in the region facilitated the implementation of the program in 2007. During the implementation of this program, individual anglers and fisheries associations were permitted to fish a certain proportion of the commercial quota allowed for the red snapper species (GMP, 2011). The program has effectively brought down the population of the targeted fish species and the competition to catch fish has ceased. This has enhanced the overall efficiency of the fisheries industry in the region and plans are underway to implement similar programs for other targeted fish species (GMP, 2011). In conclusion, it is apparent that the resources in the Gulf of Mexico play major economic, social and environmental roles in the United States. However, it is important to balance diverse economic activities carried out in the region with environmental needs. The rich biodiversity plays a major role in supporting other industries and it is crucial for the United States government to put effective measures of protecting the environment from man made hazards, such as oil spills. Works Cited Allan, B., & David, H. (Eds). Marine, Freshwater and Wetlands Biodiversity Conservation. New York: Springer –Verlag, 2007. API (American Petroleum Institute). “Fate of Spilled Oil in Marine Waters.” American Petroleum Institute. 4691. (1999): 109-134. Bianchi, T., & Canuel, E. Chemical Biomarkers in the Aquatic Ecosystem. New York: Princeton University Press, 2011. Casey, K., Dewees, B., & Wilen, J. “The Effects of Individual Vessel Quotas in the British Columbia Halibut Fishery.” Marine Resource Economics. 10.3(1995): 206-234. Colgan, C. “Employment and Wages for the U.S. Ocean and Coastal Economy.” Monthly Labor Review. 127.11(2004): 45-79. EIA (Energy Information and Administration). Official Energy Statistics from the U.S Government. Energy Information and Administration. 20 March 2011. Retrieved from http://www.eia.doe.gov/ GMA (Gulf of Mexico Alliance). The Gulf of Mexico at Glance. June 2008. 22 March 2011. < http://gulfofmexicoalliance.org/pdfs/gulf_glance_1008.pdf> GMP (Gulf of Mexico Program, USEPA). General Facts about the Gulf of Mexico. 22 March 2011. < http://www.epa.gov/gmpo/about/facts.html> Polunin, N. Aquatic Ecosystems: Trends and Global Prospects. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2008. Weber, M. Townsend, R., & Bierce, R. Environmental Quality in the Gulf of Mexico. (2nd Ed). Washington: Centre for Marine Conservation, 1992. Read More