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New England has a rich history of fishing, and even in this technologically-advanced age, a lot of people still depend on fishing as a main source of both food and income. The problem is that marine populations are being decimated by overfishing. In addition, the fishing industry is going corporate, with large corporations running the mom-and-pop shops out of business. When combined, these two issues are making lives very difficult for fishermen in New England. From CNN:
An advisory council voted Wednesday to slash cod catch rates by 77% in the Gulf of Maine, a region roughly the size of Indiana that extends from Cape Cod up through Nova Scotia.
That move, analysts predict, is expected to decimate fishing communities across the region and have a domino effect on seafood processors, wholesalers, distributors and retailers who all make a living off the water.
"We're doomed, as they say," said fisherman Dennis Robillard, whose voice wavered as he acknowledged that his boat, the Julie Ann II, is now up for sale.
I wrote a paper about diminishing fish supplies back in college. That was ten years ago. I did a bunch of research, and my conclusion was essentially, “it’s bad.” Even with 18-point Courier font I had trouble stretching that one to reach the required page minimum. And now here we are, a decade later, and people are finally starting to realize that resources on Earth aren’t unlimited. It reminds me of when my parents used to buy me those Advent calendars with a piece of chocolate for every day. I’d restrain myself for the first few days, but by December 8th I had already eaten all the way through Christmas. America treats its natural resources like I treated an Advent calendar. Except, the difference is, when I cheated, I used to get a tummy ache, but now, WE’RE ALL GOING TO DIE.
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