“There are plenty of fish in the sea” goes the cliché. Taken literally though, it’s not always the case. Especially when it comes to fish that we eat. The Atlantic Halibut is currently put on the endangered list of animals as a result of overfishing. The most common reason for this, of course, is because the fish is consumed in large quantities by humans. It’s a favorite for recipes like beer battered fish and chips or simply pan fried. Now humans will have to pay the price for overfishing as it risks becoming extinct, which will cause many problems up the food chain.

Unlike many other species of animals, fish tend to feed off each other. Typically, smaller fish are consumed by the larger fish. For example, the Halibut feeds off Cod and Haddock. However, adding humans into the mix mean that there wouldn’t be enough food for everyone. When the smaller fish are all consumed, there’s not enough food for the larger fish and they subsequently disappear. To meet with the demand for fish as food, many of the fish including Atlantic Halibut are being farm raised. The problem becomes severe when fish who need more time maturing are being eaten faster than they can grow up.

It’s evident that saving these fish begins with lessening consumption. Many efforts by Greenpeace organizations are making consumers aware of whether or not the fish they consume are part of a growing list of endangered species.  With regards to fishing activities, it may be time to think about whether or not this activity must involve bringing home a fish to the dinner table! That way, the cliché “There are plenty of fish in the sea” can truly be said without doubt.

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