What solutions are currently in place in the Mediterranean?
Unfortunately for the sake of the ecosystem of the Mediterranean Sea, not many preventive measures are currently being implemented to prevent overfishing. Out of the nineteen nations that surround the sea, only ONE has adopted a national plan to combat overfishing; Spain. Although Spain has attempted to make a difference, only about one percent of the Mediterranean Sea is currently being protected. This is hard to think about, considering scientists in the area have recommended that 20%-50% of the sea should be protected.
However on the upside, there is one organization in particular that stresses the importance of protecting the Mediterranean from overfishing, called Greenpeace. They have begun their attempt to protect certain areas of the Mediterranean Sea, with help from ocean scientists. Their efforts include the practice of protests and petitions, and they have set up boats in particular areas of the Mediterranean where they protest the issue. For more information regarding the efforts of Greenpeace, please watch the informational video under the "Additional Information" tab. |
Additional Solutions to combat Overfishing
Spreading awareness is a key component in the fight against overfishing, but in addition to informing society about the problem, direct action needs to be taken. Those nineteen countries surrounding the Mediterranean Sea NEED to be passing laws limiting how much fish can be fished out of the sea. If more people like us, especially the citizens of those countries, petition for this to happen, it may eventually happen. The more protests and petitions that occur, the more the government will have to listen. This will ultimately lead to one of the most important things that needs to happen; government sanctions and efforts to finally control or even end overfishing in the Mediterranean. The European Union and the surrounding nineteen countries need to each start enforcing laws that give certain, low limits for the amounts of species that are taken out of the sea. The limits need to be low enough to allow the fish to be replenished before taking more out. Once a few countries begin doing this, other countries will be influenced to join them in the effort. If the domino effect functions how it is supposed to, this WILL lower overfishing in the Mediterranean Sea.
Another solution to help curb this catastrophe is the implementation of more marine reserves in the Mediterranean Sea. Fishing is part of human culture. From sport fishing to fishing for food, the practice of fishing isn't going anywhere. In the Mediterranean Sea however overfishing is too big of a problem. The Mediterranean Sea accounts for 15% of the oceans diversity. If overfishing continues at the rate it is today, a majority of this diversity will become extinct. Ethically speaking, humans need to stop destroying habitats at such a fast rate that they cannot keep up. By creating more marine reserves, the fish in the Mediterranean will have a chance at survival. Since the Mediterranean Sea is for the most part land locked, it takes hundreds of years to filter out pollution and ecosystem destruction. By instilling more marine reserves the fish can start to make a recovery slowly but surely.
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