Marine Resources, Fisheries and the Impact of Plastic

Garbage, debris and tiny bits of plastic gather in specific areas of the world's oceans where strong currents circle around areas with very weak, or even no, currents. What are these regions called? a. gyres b. continental shelves c. plankton layers d. upwellings e. downwellings

a. gyres

What is likely to be the most important global impact of bycatch? a. loss of ocean biodiversity b. sediment pollution c. habitat destruction d. acidification and coral bleaching e. increase in invasive species

a. loss of ocean biodiversity

More than half of the world's fisheries are at ___________, the amount of fish that can be harvested without decreasing the yield in future years. a. maximum sustainable yield b. overexploitation yield c. bycatch yield d. depletion yield e. fishery maximum yield

a. maximum sustainable yield

What term is used to describe the pre-production plastic pellets that are transported around the world for subsequent plastic production (e.g. styrofoam)? a. nurdles b. nanoparticles c. noodles d. nanoplankton e. neuston

a. nurdles

Which statement about coral reefs is false? a. Overfishing is a major cause of coral reef destruction. b. Coastal development does not affect coral reefs because they develop far away from the shore. c. Most coral reefs are found between 30 degrees north latitude and 30 degrees south latitude. d. Coral reefs serve as a source of current and potential medicines. e. Coral reefs help protect shorelines from storms.

b. Coastal development does not affect coral reefs because they develop far away from the shore.

The Marine Trophic Index has decreased dramatically since 1990. What does this statement mean? a. Invasive species are taking over the oceans. b. Higher-level predators are declining in numbers. c. Whale numbers have made a dramatic increase. d. All of the choices above are true. e. None of the choices above are true.

b. Higher-level predators are declining in numbers.

Which of the following is true of eutrophication in marine systems? a. It provides needed limiting nutrients. b. It can lead to harmful algal blooms that kill fish. c. It is rare and occurs only in bad weather. d. It can aid corals by providing their symbiotic algae with nutrients. e. It can aid corals by killing parasites.

b. It can lead to harmful algal blooms that kill fish.

Match the strategy with the correct consequence that explains how the threat to marine ecosystems could be reduced. a. banning release of ballast water from ships - reduces ocean acidification b. designating marine protected areas - enables recovery of fish stocks from overfishing and pollution c. transitioning to non-fossil fuel energy sources - reduces algal blooms d. reducing beachfront development - reduces overfishing e. prohibiting bottom trawling - prevents introduction of invasive species

b. designating marine protected areas - enables recovery of fish stocks from overfishing and pollution

Where does the majority of ocean pollution come from? a. accidental oil spills from oil tankers transporting crude oil b. human activities on land that runoff into ocean ecosystems c. offshore mining and oil drilling activities d. atmospheric contaminants that enter the ocean via precipitation e. deliberate dumping of litter in the ocean by cruise ships

b. human activities on land that runoff into ocean ecosystems

What causes "red tides"? a. increased ocean oxygen content b. nutrient pollution leading to marine algal blooms c. nutrient upwelling d. the position of the moon e. increased ocean carbon dioxide content

b. nutrient pollution leading to marine algal blooms

What term describes the area that underlies the shallow water bordering the continents? a. the topographic shelf b. the continental shelf c. the hadal zone d. the surface zone e. the bathymetric zone

b. the continental shelf

A new facility being built on Vancouver Island for raising organic salmon offers some advantages over conventional methods of farming salmon. Which of the following is not true about this new facility? a. It will avoid the spread of infections to wild fish by preventing mixing with open waters. b. It will reduce the use of antibiotics and pesticides. c. It will require the purchase and transport of more feed for the fish adding a major expense. d. It will contain fish wastes and prevent it from entering the environment. e. It will use large tanks located on the mainland.

c. It will require the purchase and transport of more feed for the fish adding a major expense.

Which of the following statements is false regarding aquaculture? a. Aquaculture provides a reliable protein source and thus needed nutrition for a growing human population. b. As aquaculture grows in scale, the reduced pressure on natural fisheries is better for ocean biodiversity as it reduces bycatch. c. The dense concentration of farmed fish makes it easier to prevent disease outbreaks from occurring and thus food security is always assured. d. Aquaculture is more energy-efficient as it uses less fossil fuel and produces more fish per unit area than open-water fishing operations. e. All of the above are true statements about aquaculture.

c. The dense concentration of farmed fish makes it easier to prevent disease outbreaks from occurring and thus food security is always assured.

Which of the following is not a characteristic of currents? a. They are driven by wind. b. They are driven by density differences. c. They are driven by pH differences. d. They are driven by gravity. e. They are driven by temperature.

c. They are driven by pH differences.

All of the following actions would threaten the ocean's ability to provide ecosystem goods and services except ___________. a. using large amounts of pesticides and fertilizers b. fishing using bottom trawlers c. installing solar panels in coastal communities d. soil erosion from coastal construction sites e. dumping motor oil down storm drains in coastal areas

c. installing solar panels in coastal communities

In 1999, Captain Charles Moore discovered the garbage island in the North Pacific Gyre. At the time the ratio of plastic to plankton was estimated to be about 6 to 1. Ten years later (in 2009), what was the estimated ratio of plankton to plastic? a. 1 to 100 b. 1 to 6 c. 1 to 1 d. 1 to 36

d. 1 to 36

The first genetically-modified fish has recently been approved for human consumption in Canada and the United States. What type of genetically-modified fish has been approved? a. Pacific salmon b. Albacore tuna c. Atlantic cod d. Atlantic salmon e. Greenland halibut

d. Atlantic salmon

Which of the following is not a problem associated with open water net pen aquaculture? a. Increased use of antibiotics and pesticides b. Concern about escape of non-native or GMO species into wild populations c. Increased rates of disease and parasites relative to wild fish d. Disruption of land-based human activities in coastal communities e. Release of large amounts of waste into the environment

d. Disruption of land-based human activities in coastal communities

The United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization predicts that global consumption of aquatic proteins will reach 150-160 million tons by the end of the century. Traditional fisheries can produce no more than 100 million tons. The remaining demand will likely be met by a. increased bottom trawling b. harvesting of coral reefs c. food products other than fish d. aquaculture e. deep-sea electroshock techniques

d. aquaculture

Non-target species that become trapped in fishing nets and are usually discarded are known as __________. a. endangered species b. depleted fisheries c. target catch d. bycatch e. fishing down the food chain

d. bycatch

Nutrient rich areas where shallow rivers meet the ocean are known as ______. a. intertidal zones b. open ocean c. abyssal zones d. estuaries e. coral reefs

d. estuaries

Many nations have tried to protect their fisheries by the creation of ______ which extend 200 nautical miles from the coastline and give exclusive rights over marine resources. a. marine protection areas b. marine reserves c. exclusive fishing zones d. exclusive economic zones e. inclusive economic zones

d. exclusive economic zones

In 1992, the Canadian government ________. a. enacted laws to protect many species of whales b. started harvesting manganese nodules from the ocean floor c. gave subsidies to fishers who were losing money because of low fish harvests d. ordered a complete ban on cod fishing e. banned the use of deep-water trawling

d. ordered a complete ban on cod fishing

What is the greatest threat to coral reefs? a. marine-based pollution b. inland pollution c. plastic pollution d. overfishing e. none of the choices listed above is the greatest threat

d. overfishing

Which strategy is incorrectly matched with its effect on ocean ecosystems? a. reduce coastal pollution - reduce coral infections and keep coral reefs healthy b. prohibit overfishing in coastal areas - protect coral reefs from bleaching and destruction c. designate MPAs - protect ocean communities to help them recover from environmental damages d. prohibit bottom-trawling in vulnerable areas - reduce exposure to land-based pollution e. reduce the use of fossil fuels - reduce the amount of anthropogenic carbon dioxide released and slow ocean acidification

d. prohibit bottom-trawling in vulnerable areas - reduce exposure to land-based pollution

Match the human activity to its correct consequence for marine ecosystems. a. drill for oil ---- coral bleaching b. fertilizer use ---- ocean acidification c. fishing with dynamite ----algal blooms d. release of ballast water from ships ---- introduction of invasive species e. none of the above human activities is matched to its correct consequence

d. release of ballast water from ships ---- introduction of invasive species

In the video "The Age of Plastic" what term is used to describe turning the plastics collected through recycling or from the reclamation of ocean wastes into higher quality products (like bionic yarn) and therefore reducing the plastic problem? a. downcycling b. innovating c. upgrading d. upcycling e. downgrading

d. upcycling

Ecological concerns regarding plastics in oceans include which of the following? a. Sea mammals can get tangled in discarded plastic items such as fishing nets and six-pack rings. b. Seabirds eat bits of plastic, mistaking it for food, and may end up choking on the plastic. c. Plastic absorbs fat-soluble pollutants such as PCBs and DDT; these are toxins known to bioaccumulate in the tissues of marine organisms and biomagnify up food chains. d. Floating bits of plastic can serve as attachment points for fish eggs, and many types of larval and juvenile organisms and thus could potentially transport harmful, invasive species to new areas. e. All of the above are concerns regarding plastics in oceans.

e. All of the above are concerns regarding plastics in oceans.

Many people consider the open ocean to be an example of a "commons" accessible to everyone. Why? a. The open ocean supports the highest biodiversity of fish and other marine organisms. b. The open ocean is the ideal environment for aquaculture. c. The open ocean is actually an area where fishing is prohibited. d. The open ocean is where many different fish populations congregate for feeding and breeding. e. The open ocean provides an international fishing area with no ownership and no one in control.

e. The open ocean provides an international fishing area with no ownership and no one in control.

According to the recent BBC Report "Chemical clue to why seabirds eat plastic", what appears to explain the attraction of sea birds to plastic floating in the ocean as a source of food? a. the location where plastic particles accumulate b. the tan colour of the plastic which resembles plankton c. the ability of plastic to float and reflect light d. the size and shape of the plastic particles that look like food e. the smell of seaweed that is absorbed by the plastic

e. the smell of seaweed that is absorbed by the plastic