The use of over-efficient fishing technology, the lack of sufficient scientific data regarding the oceans, the ignorance and apathy of humanity towards this oceanic crisis, and insufficient implementation of existing maritime agreements are resulting in a decrease in the biodiversity of the ocean, changes to ocean chemistry, changes in the genetic composition of marine species, disturbances to the food web and ecosystem, collapse of fish stocks, and irreparable damage to marine ecosystems and to the fishing industry (including all people dependent on fish for sustenance, income, and cultural value).
This problem has not arisen overnight. Fishing stocks have been overfished for decadesc. Fishermen believed that the ocean's capacity for fishing was unlimited (Kurlansky 1998).
(work in progress...)
Works Cited
Kurlansky, M. (1998). Cod: A Biography of the Fish That Changed the World. Random House of Canada.