A Fishy Problem

Every year, millions come down to the Florida Keys to fish in the crystal, clear waters for cool species like tarpon, bonefish, and snook. But, the ocean is not as full as it once was.

All over the globe, people catch fish faster than they can respawn. This is a problem called overfishing. Today, one-third of fisheries are overfished, and many are fully collapsed.

Overfishing can take many forms. Large commercial vessels sometimes practice unsustainable fishing like trolling the bottom of the ocean with large nets which rip up coral and catch more fish than they need. This can also result in bycatch which is when a fish or other marine creature gets accidently caught. Favorite marine animals like sharks and turtles are commonly caught in those nets.

Another unsustainable fishing practice is harvesting fish while they are spawning. If there are no reproductive adults, there won’t be another generation of fish. The World Wildlife Fund estimates that the ocean global fishing fleet is 2.5 times bigger than what the oceans can sustainably support.

Large fish species like tuna are affected by these practices because they reproduce slowly. This affects the ecological dynamics of marine communities that were once kept in check by larger species. Scientists have documented a phenomenon called “fishing down the food web” where fisheries move from large species like tuna and cod to smaller species like crab and squid. This practice further disturbs the food web because species that prey on those small species now have nothing to eat.

Overfishing doesn’t just affect the fish. Three billion people rely on seafood as a food source and 200 million people work in the fishing industry. In the Keys, commercial fishing contributes around $900 million to the economy alone.

So how can we keep the fishing industry sustainable in the Keys?

Many Keys’ anglers want to make our waters one of the leading sustainable and responsible fisheries. We can all do our part through smart fishing practices. Florida Fish and Wildlife has fishing regulations for each species. This includes bag limits which restrict the number of fish an angler can catch in a day, size limits, and seasons when you can fish that species. For example, in Monroe County, snook must be between 28 and 33 inches. Their seasons are December 1 to the end of February and May 1 to Aug 31. And, you can only catch one snook per day.

Commercial fisherman must abide by individual quotas that determine how much of a share of the annual fish caught they are allowed to have. They also have pound limits per trip. However, commercial fishing still leads to overexploitation, and fisheries scientists are actively searching for solutions.

If you’re not a fisherman, you can still help by making smart choices about what seafood you eat, and what recreational activities you partake in. A great resource is the Seafood Watch App which lets users know which dishes are sustainable and which they should stay away from.

Overfishing is a scary problem but one we can solve if we all work together. Talk to your friends and family about sustainable fishing, and help us keep the ocean alive for years to come!