Environment Confronting International Environmental Issues:

Environment

Confronting International Environmental Issues: Over Fishing

Over fishing of international waters by commercial fisheries places a severe, if often unnoticed, burden on the ecological foundations of the world's oceans. The oceans, which cover roughly 70% of the Earth's service perform vital ecological functions -- not to mention providing 15% of the world's protein supply in the form of seafood. However, to supply that food requires the harvesting of more than 900 million tons of seafood every year, much of which is simply wasted ("Ravaging"). The result of this unchecked harvest has been dwindling supplies of marine fish populations, such as the North Atlantic cod, as well as economic and ecological effects.

Some organizations have taken a particular interest in addressing this international environmental issue. AIDA collaborates with governments and partner organizations to improve the regulatory mechanisms in place for appropriate marine resources management. By assisting and motivate governments to reform and improve marine policies, AIDA hopes to help protect these resources before they are irrevocably damaged ("Ravaging"). For example, AIDA worked with two other organizations -- JPN and CEDARENA -- in Costa Rica to legally oppose the development of a yellow fin tuna aquaculture project. The Costa Rican courts ruled in favor of AIDA's actions on the grounds that the aquaculture project would drastically harm the marine environment and undermine the nation's constitutional guarantees of a healthy environment ("Toward).