Commercial and Recreational Fishing - Justice Le Tran Alexander

Learning about commercial fishing in New Bedford, MA really opened my eyes to the realities of the commercial fishing industry. I like to fish recreationally and enjoy it quit a bit. The area I grew up gave plenty access to the water and I come from a family of fishers so I go out to the beach or other bodies of water regularly. A lot of the time I'll even bring back fish to eat. 

I don't like to think about it but when I do buy fish from the store I know theres a lot more behind it that most people like to admit. Watching a documentary in class showcasing the economic and environmental abuses of the fishing industry made me think about all the seafood people eat and all the seafood derived products we consume. Its a lot.

Not to mention the rise of international commercial fishing pushing smaller companies out the water. Whole ecosystems can be destroyed by these large fishing boats which adds another element to their effect on the environment. The EPA tried to step in and help manage the situation but it really just made a lot of things worse. Quotas for example are how the amount of fish taken out of the water is measured and regulated. This has had disastrous effects on the billion dollar industry creating more room for monopolistic business practice.

I fish because it brings me joy and I a weird way I guess I feel like it keeps me connected to nature in a way. But I can see how recreational fishing itself can pose a threat to habitat and ecosystems. Plastic, hooks, fishing line, and hook setting being some of the main concerns. Plastic lures pose some more concerning effects for fish populations as they can be ingested and kill healthy fish and release harmful chemicals into the water affecting reproduction as well.

With all this being said, it probably a good idea for us all to be more mindful of what we see in the fish section of the grocery store and how we personally interact with our local ecosystems.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Kip Redick Example of a Student's Choosing

  This is an example of a topic of the student's choosing.   During the summer of 2022, I attended an environmental encounters trip to Iceland with Dr. Kip Redick, Dr. Joe Balay, and 14 other students. It was a two week trip, but those short two weeks completely changed my life. I learned about more things than I thought was possible in 14 days, and I've never been more interested in learning before. It completely opened my eyes to a whole new perspective, on how the world should live, and what the environment should look like. Everyone was so kind, and they are the most environmental conservative countries.  While there, we did many different activities, including hiking on a glacier. It was so fun, but exhausting and kind of sad at the same time. It was obvious to see how much the glacier have had melted in the past years due to global warming, as there was a large glacial lake at the bottom with melted ice, and the glacier was all rock and sediment before w...
Read more

Kip Redick Example of an Outside Reading Post

 Recently I decided to give the renowned masterpiece by Jon Krakauer known as Into the Wild  another read. Needless to say I was just as heartbroken as the first time I read this novel/watched the 2007 film. I felt the need to discuss the work here simply because I feel it relates to a lot of discussions we have been having in class. I mean think about it, a young man sets out across the country to explore creation as it was intended to be experienced. As the story progresses, I remember being left with a sense of wonder, even thinking things along the lines of "I wonder would what happen if I just decided to do this one day?" I feel it's common knowledge how this story ends by now, with the main protagonist passing away alone in the wilderness, no one around for miles due to accidentally ingesting a poisonous plant. Although I have previously discussed how nature is God's most pure creation and should be treated as such, I feel I need to address a differ...
Read more

Kip Redick Student's Free Choice Example

  Here is an example which would be a free choice entry.    Since last semester, I have been on e-board for the Green Team at CNU. I am the sustainability and research chair and my role is to make campus more green and sustainability which is challenging because CNU tends to be stubborn and not want to change. Although I have been struggling to do my job and change things, I have gotten so much insight from the other Green Team members because we come from different customs and view points. We have bonded over our love for the environment and our need to change. We have our own rituals were we try to connect with nature through meditation, yoga, and reciting poems and sharing ideas. We have a big/little system called Oaks and Acorns in order for new members to know how the group works and become close to each other. Green Team is not dominated by one class, one religion, or one race. That is why I love this organization so much. We are all accepted and brought...
Read more