Overfishing

High school (ages 12+)
Environment & Earth

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/overfishing

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the scientific classification?Overfishing is a human-induced pressure on aquatic populations, not a species
2. What is the global fisheries status (2017 FAO report)?34% of assessed fish stocks were overfished
3. Why does overfishing happen?It happens because modern fishing tools like sonar, big boats, and fast nets let fishermen catch fish very quickly, faster than fish can grow back.
4. How does overfishing hurt the ocean?It can cause some fish to disappear, upset the food chain, damage coral reefs and seagrass beds, and hurt animals that depend on fish for food.

Depensation: A phenomenon where a population's reproductive rate declines sharply below a certain threshold.
Ecosystem Shift: A fundamental change in the species composition and energy flow of an ecosystem.
Aquaculture: The farming of aquatic organisms such as fish, crustaceans, mollusks, and aquatic plants.