Issues Affecting Marine Ecosystems

Long line fishing, drift nets, and trawling all produce an insignificant amount of by-catch

FALSE

Explain why bottom trawling is still being practiced when it is generally acknowledged as destructive and unsustainable?

For some species of fish, bottom trawling is the most cost effective means of harvesting it. Additionally, as the populations of some fish decline their price goes up dramatically, making even a single catch extremely valuable.

Describe the sources of marine debris and explain why it is a problem with global origins.

Marine debris consists of most anything used and discarded by humans. Winds, rivers and storms can carry this debris to the ocean from far inland, so it is not solely a case of pollution along shorelines. It is also true that oceangoing ships directly contribute to marine debris while they are at sea and not associated with any particular nation.

Explain how a policy strategy to reduce, reuse, and recycle might mitigate the impacts of marine debris.

Marine debris results from human garbage that makes its way to the ocean. A strategy to reduce, reuse, and recycle would generally reduce the amount of garbage produced by society with the additional effect of reducing the amount of garbage that becomes marine debris.

The Great Pacific Garbage Patch is best described as _______. a. a floating island of garbage in the Pacific ocean the size of Texas b. a garbage patch formed of clusters of plastic debris c. a patch of densely polluted water the size of Texas in the Pacific ocean d. the result of oceangoing ship pollution

NOT A

Which of the following is not a possible consequence of animals ingesting marine debris? a. injury b. starvation c. suffocation d. malnutrition

NOT A

Explain how Seafood Watch promotes environmentally responsible fishing practices.

Seafood Watch identifies seafood that has been harvested in a sustainable manner and promotes this seafood over varieties that were not sustainably harvested. The idea is that only the fishermen utilizing sustainable practices are rewarded financially and will therefore outcompete their competitors. The theory goes that over a long period of time, only fishermen using sustainable practices will remain in business.

Long line fishing and drift nets are hazardous to fish and other marine animals.

TRUE

Pollution from many nations contributes to the Great Pacific Garbage Patch.

TRUE

Explain why the biodegradation of plastic might be more hazardous to the environment than the presence of plastic as marine debris.

While plastic is not generally considered biodegradable, it can be broken down by the action of photodegradation and certain microbes. The breakdown products of plastic, however, are extremely toxic to marine life and once the plastic breaks down they are free to enter into the food chain. Therefore, while plastic marine debris is hazardous and dangerous to marine organisms, the toxic breakdown products of plastics have the potential to do even more damage.

Which of the following best explains why overfishing is considered a bad practice? a. Overfishing is not sustainable and ultimately depletes a fishery. b. Overfishing is a more expensive fishing practice. c. Overfishing results in species becoming overpopulated. d. Overfishing prevents the formation of protected habitats.

a. Overfishing is not sustainable and ultimately depletes a fishery.

Marine debris typically _______ a. sickens, injures, or kills marine animals b. improves water quality c. is not a problem for marine organisms d. originates from landlocked sources

a. sickens, injures, or kills marine animals

The current responsible for holding the Great Pacific Garbage Patch together is called _______. a. the North Pacific Gyre b. the South Pacific Gyre c. the North Atlantic Gyre d. the South Atlantic Gyre

a. the North Pacific Gyre

Seafood Watch recommends which seafood _______. a. to buy or avoid b. to catch and sell c. to harvest sustainably d. is safe to eat

a. to buy or avoid

Which of the following best explains why marine debris is not caused solely by countries bordering the ocean? a. Marine debris mostly originates from oceangoing ships. b. Debris is carried to the ocean by winds, rivers, and storms. c. Marine debris originates from natural sources. d. None of the above

b. Debris is carried to the ocean by winds, rivers, and storms.

Which of the following best explains the environmental problems associated with trawling? a. Trawling always destroys sea floor ecologies. b. Trawling gathers fish indiscriminately. c. Trawling is too selective at gathering fish. d. All of the above

b. Trawling gathers fish indiscriminately.

Seafood Watch is a program that identifies sustainably harvested, ocean friendly seafood in order to _______. a. gather evidence of fishermen violating international law b. allow consumers to make environmentally responsible choices c. increase the price fishermen receive for their catches d. increase the sale and consumption of seafood

b. allow consumers to make environmentally responsible choices

Which of the following best explains the current state of the majority of the world's fisheries? a. they are being sustainably harvested b. they are currently overfished c. they are currently underfished d. they are already depleted

b. they are currently overfished

By-catch is a term for that part of the catch _______. a. that is used to feed the ship's crew b. caught at the lowest depths c. that was actually being fished for d. that was not actually being fished for

d. that was not actually being fished for

Marine debris is best described as being composed of _______. a. solid garbage b. untreated sewage c. toxic chemicals d. things discarded by humans

d. things discarded by humans