The human population throughout the world is rapidly growing. This is due to better healthcare and increased life expectancy. Many people rely on sea life as a food source. The problem with this is that too many fish are being eaten at a rate where they can no longer sustain their numbers.

The ocean has fragile ecosystems. Many different creatures rely on each other for their mutual survival. When humans overfish they are not just affecting one species. They are having a secondary negative effect on numerous other animals. If one is taken out of an ecosystem then it can cause the entire thing to collapse.

Luckily, people are recognising how bad overfishing has become. Consequently scientists have come up with solutions for sustainability. One of these is to farm fish rather than take them directly from the ocean. This stimulates the economy and allows sea life to recover its former populations.

Another solution is to change the methods for fishing. In particular, preventing by-catch is becoming a priority in the fight against overfishing. Ending the over-reliance on large nets is the first step to achieving this important task.