The Ocean
Should we stop the catching and killing of sharks?
The Marine Biome
- The marine biome is all the oceans. An ocean is a body of salt water that composes much of the area on Earth, an ocean is one of the major conventional divisions of the World Ocean, which occupies two-thirds of the planet's surface. These are, in descending order by area, the Pacific, Atlantic, Indian, Southern, and Arctic Ocean.
- The ocean contains many marine animals including sharks.
Loss of Predator Animals (Sharks)
- The catching and killing of sharks in the oceans has increased over the years and that can be a very bad thing.
- Sharks play a very important role in the oceans in a way that an average fish does not. Sharks are at the top of the food chain in virtually every part of every ocean. In that role, they keep populations of other fish healthy and in proper proportion for their ecosystem.
- Where sharks are eliminated, the marine ecosystem loses its balance.
Negative Impacts of the Loss of Sharks
- The ocean ecosystem is made up of very intricate food webs. Sharks are at the top of these webs and are considered by scientists to be “keystone” species, meaning that removing them causes the whole structure to collapse. For this reason, the prospect of a food chain minus its apex predators may mean the end of the line for many more species.
- "Sharks play a vital role in the oceans in a way that the average fish does not. Most sharks serve as top predators at the pinnacle of the marine food pyramid, and so play a critical role in ocean ecosystems. Directly or indirectly they regulate the natural balance of these ecosystems, at all levels, and so are an integral part of them. As they usually hunt old, weak or sick prey, they help to keep the prey population in good condition, healthy and strong, enabling these more naturally fit animals to reproduce and pass on their genes. The effects of removing sharks from ocean ecosystems, although complex and rather unpredictable, are very likely to be ecologically and economically damaging."
Solution to the Loss of Sharks
My solution would to be to prohibit the catching of sharks, and the killing of them.
Positive Impacts of my Solution
- It will keep fish number, and the strength of the ecosystem to stay strong
- Save the lives of sharks
- Would lose the jobs of those who catch sharks, which means they would not need to be paid and could save money.
- There could be fewer injuries while on a fishing boat and working.