A new study is examining the nutritional values of more than 350 species of fish, finds fish in tropical regions have higher concentrations of calcium, iron and zinc which is critical for human health than fish in colder waters. This research shows the fish caught just off the shores of tropical countries has the potential to easily provide micronutrients such as: calcium, iron, zinc and vitamin A, for people who live within 60 miles of the coast. Half the world's coastal countries have severe nutrient deficiencies so when a main source of their nutrients are taken away, a problem is created.
Fishing fleets from East Asia, Russia and the EU catch vast quantities of fish inside West African territorial waters in exchange for nominal fees. However, poorer people and countries like Africa have to rely on free fish to catch otherwise their diet contains only maize and rice. Since these foreign fisheries are depriving local people of the amount of fish they can catch, the price of fish meals have increased in the countries themselves. People can't afford to pay for these fish meals so they end up being malnourished.
The amount of fish we have in our oceans doesn't only affect the ocean ecosystem and terrestrial animals but it affects humans too on a large scale. People who can't afford to pay for food is one problem, but to take away the only free food that they have to make a profit depletes their nutrition levels and makes people negligent and ignorant. Just like animals, if the fish population continues to dwindle and dwindle, it will get to the point where there are no more fish and many populations humans and animals will suffer. I think foreign fisheries need to take a step back and realize that their money is not worth more than peoples' lives. If there are no more fish, then for some there could be no more people. Is that a risk we are willing to take?
Great post, really shows how over fishing can affect us in so many different ways.
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