Fishing offers numerous health benefits, such as decreased blood pressure and reduced stress, and it also improves concentration and self-esteem. But that’s not all. There are many reasons why fishing is important.
The fishing industry plays an essential role in feeding the world’s population, and it also provides employment opportunities for billions of people. Fishing is important because it supports wildlife and keeps fish populations stable by setting creel and possession limits and fishing seasons.
When you think about it, fishing is integral to many people’s lives. Keep reading to learn more about the effect of the fishing industry on the economy, environment, and seafood supply.
General Importance of Fishing
While recreational fishing is one of the most popular ways to pass the time, commercial fishing is much more than a hobby. For more than 10% of the world’s population, fisheries and aquaculture are a source of income, and for three billion people worldwide, seafood is a valuable source of animal protein.
Here are several reasons why fishing is so important:
A Large Source of Food
Fish is an important food source for billions of people worldwide. The growth in fish consumption has boosted and diversified people’s diets.
The protein found in fish and shellfish is easily digestible, and amino acids found in fish are more easily absorbed and used by the body than those amino acids found in chicken, beef, and pork. Unlike other meats, fish meat is high in unsaturated fats and offers many health benefits, mainly protecting against cardiovascular diseases.
Fish is also an excellent source of iodine and selenium. These two essential minerals, which are hard to obtain through other food sources, are necessary for proper thyroid gland functioning and the synthesis of thyroid hormones.
Income & Employment
Global fisheries and aquaculture have a growing role in feeding the world’s population and providing employment and a source of income for billions of people. The fishing industry doesn’t only include fishing but any activity involved with culturing, processing, storing, preserving, transporting, marketing, or selling fish and fish products.
Sustainable fishing promotes economic diversity, increasing income flow and lowering dependence on agriculture as a source of income. The act of fishing encourages the development of fish processing industries which creates more job opportunities for people around the world.
Fisheries and aquaculture are important sources of income and employment, generating jobs for millions of people in production. Most of these jobs are found in capture fisheries, which harvest naturally occurring living resources in marine and freshwater conditions.
Although it may appear that males dominate the fishing industry, aquatic food systems create indirect employment for millions of women.
Aquaculture generally creates much higher returns than some crops, such as rice. Aquafarming is also more labor-intensive than seasonal agriculture and creates employment opportunities all year round.
Importance of Fishing in Different Areas
Besides being an important source of food, income, and employment, the fishing industry is also significant for the global economy and environment. Fishing also has a social aspect as it provides cultural and recreational services that benefit human health and well-being.
Social Importance
While most people imagine fishing as a solitary activity, that’s far from the truth. Fishing is a social activity that can be done with family and friends.
Having company while fishing, sharing stories and catches, helping other anglers, or just talking about life helps anglers forget about other distractions and form strong bonds with their fishing companions. Even if you don’t build lifelong friendships with other anglers during a fishing trip, a simple social interaction can reduce stress levels and improve your mood and happiness.
Another social benefit of fishing is that you can become a member of a community of other fishermen. Almost all fishing locations have a local fishing charter or some other place for meet-ups where you can socialize with other anglers and share fishing stories.
Economic Importance
Fishing is an important economic activity worldwide. The fishing industry generates food from the sea. It creates employment opportunities not only for fishermen who directly collect fish, crustaceans, and mollusks but also for those employed in secondary service activities, including the construction of vessels, equipment, and supplies related to the marketing of fish products.
Production and maintenance of fishing gear, recreational fishing, and tourist activities are lucrative aspects of the fishing industry.
Fishing is one of those human activities that has several economic effects in addition to the market value of the fish. Fish are used to make many by-products that are sold commercially. From fish oil, fish manure, fish glue, fish silage, and fish leather to fish pearls and fish insulin, fish products generate a large chunk of income in the fishing industry.
Environmental Importance
Fishing and pollution caused by fishing are the largest causes of the declining ocean health and water quality. The environmental impact of industrial fishing encompasses matters such as overfishing, availability of fish, fisheries, and bycatch. These issues are a part of ocean conservation and are handled in fisheries science programs.
Nets abandoned in the ocean, known as ghost nets, can’t decompose and wreak havoc on marine wildlife. The Earth consists of 70% water, and the effects of overfishing affect everyone on this planet.
The current seafood shortage is caused by overfishing, large amounts of seafood waste, and microplastic polluting the seafood people consume. This is mainly due to plastic-made fishing gear that gets worn down by use or thrown away.
Conclusion
Fishing is a very important activity. The fishing industry is a significant source of food, it provides jobs and income for millions of people and affects the global economy. Unfortunately, fishing is terrible for the environment and is the biggest cause of declining water quality.
One way to reduce the adverse effects of fishing on the environment and increase the fish population numbers is by using fisheries management systems.