This report includes a comparative study of the issues of commercial fishing in Great Barrier reef and the Andaman sea.
Andaman sea (marginal sea) lies in the eastern Indian ocean between Bengal bay, touching the coast of Myanmar and Thailand at 10 degrees north with a total land area of approximately 514 000 sq. km (figure 4). Andaman sea has a total of 23 coastal provinces which various coral forms spread out amounts the island and sea floor, with various marine habitant including snakes, fish, turtles etc.
Whilst the Great Barrier Reef is located on the coast of Queensland, a 2,300km long ecosystem comprised with various reefs and over 600 type of hard and soft coral; being home to 25% of marine species and the largest living structure on earth. Over the past few decades the change has been escalating as seen in (Figure 2) as a result of human activity which will be explored specifically in relation to commercial fishing.
Bio-spherical process:
The Great Barrier Reef has the richest faunal biodiversity in the world although through the past few decades have indicated more changes in its wellbeing; being mostly endemic, the great barrier reef runs on levels of biosphere process, operating the reef including shallow water, warm water temperature, unpolluted water, high salinity levels, high oxygen levels and low turbidity in the waters. The reef it requires high salinity so, precipitation when there is heavy rainfall and the fresh water pool building on top; Fresh water can kill coral on low tied. Ideally the coral should maintain temperature of 20-27 degrees as safety zone, if temperature exceed this limits functions of the reef begin to lower as conditions are unsuitable for their survival.
Similarly, Andaman sea has a tropical climate on average, being hot all year round, with dry season during January and April and rainy season, (as a result of Indian monsoon) from May to November, and abundant precipitation from almost 3,000 millimetre a year, hence geological history and varied seafloor topography and large tidal range from 2-5 metres. The Gulf of Thailand has a maximum of 85 m which is covered by a sandy and muddy grounds. On the west coast, the Andaman Sea has a narrow continental shelf shelving deeper offshore. It has a slightly wider area in the north and a narrow area in the south; the further locations comprising mangroves and sea grasses. The ground for the most part is sandy, muddy and has coral remnants.
Cause, extent and consequence (economic, social and environmental)
Both GBR and Andamans sea are multi-million-dollar industry which supply majority income for the both country in which both face large scale issue of chain affect to decreasing population of fish, to the high demands need to proportion the going population.
Firstly, the great barrier reef has undergone various change over the last decade, particularly manifested as considerable increasing effort and catch in the commercial fishery since 1995 (figure 1). Collectively, these influences have resulted in nearly 50% increase in commercial effort and 40% increase in catch since 1996 due to the going population and large demands being a $7 million industry. Consequently he fishes stock species various from declining; under pressure of exploiting them increase. There also is potential for increased recreational fishing pressure along the GBR coast as result of increasing population and more tourism attraction. Issues arising from CF extend from over-fishing in combination of large scales factors such as global warning has led to the decreasing population of fish in both counties particularly Andaman sea has fairly impacted the regulation of fisher. Since fishing has decrease economically prices rise creating a chain effect.
In contrary with similar feature adman sea faces prevalent issues of commercial fishing. Economically exports receive up tp 481 million euros ($511 million) annually; the GDP with fisheries being 2.5% of the total . Specifically, many families relying their income on commercial fishing are becoming an issue when the population of marine life decrease. Such as the Channel NewsAsia documentary of fisherman job; The participant Ake the ‘breadwinner’ of the family had stated “There used to be a lot of squid in the sea, I didn’t need to go to deep water. I do now as there harder to find†. Since the vase increase of vassals many marine animals caught have begun to lessen in the mid-shelf, to outer shore (figure2) which has resulted in fisherman traveling further west to explore the deeper oceans shown in, (figure 3 & 4) which consequently is more dangerous. For small scale fisher like Ake they face issues of dwindling catch and the traps being destroyed by trawler which cost more money to pay for new ones, becoming a finical burden especially as Thailand is a LEDC unlike the GBR many local businesses can still thrive from government or community help. Although in country the environment suffers from the overdrive of human activity which doesn’t allocated enough time for spawning time, as a combination of water disturbance has disturbed the ground that require little to no turbidity especially in Andaman sea which has been reissued and managed.
Management:
The great barrier reef has implemented various was due to it dense issue includes limiting number of fishing licence, seasonal closure of fishing time, limitation of fishing vassal size age, restrictions on the length, number of nets and mesh type which must not include bream, flathead or whiting whilst operating bait nets in the park. Limits on numbers of hooks, limits on trap (to 4 per person) and catch restrictions on fish sizes, compulsory log-booking and Arial and vassal surveillance. Many local companies whom have relied on commercial fishing has been limited since the new management strategies implemented by the Queensland government. Although the management have encouraged the growth of reef, many socially have been struggling to uphold themselves finically. The reefs health as shown in (figure. 2) has progressively worse, although the managements strategies have temporary enhanced the issue and can never return to its previous state and doesn’t directly stop the issue although with future research management team have a steady path to resolving the issue
Ssimilarly, Andamans constitution has implement fairly similar management strategies; Use of simulations of the fishery system, sustained fisheries for food security; improved livelihood to increase employment, and earning foreign exchanges through the use of responsible fisheries practices, Protection of swanning stock, and sustainability of the fishery through by limiting size of fish caught, restraining mesh size, controlled fishing zones, reducing fishing vassals, establishing artificial reefs for spawning grounds, promoting community-based managements, upgrading human post-harvest technology and utilized human consumption and institute stronger legal and finical framework and banned ships fitted with push nets and bottom trawling equipment from going to sea. The rehabilitation of the fisheries resources and environment the reduction of by-catch and low value catch has decreased to 100 000 mt/per year which maintains food security and employment for fishers. enhance offshore fisheries developed by making 3 500 vessels has Increased the production by about 5% per year . This Improves quality production for export for 100,000 mt/per year with an annual growth rate of ten percent . Although benefits have shown economically from results shown this hasn’t directly resolved the issue of overfishing or decreasing population of marine life, through getting results of implements managements would need to be assesses over years of through observing.
In summary both GBR and Andaman sea suffer similar issue of overfishing and other remaining factors such as coral bleaching, has also affected the population of marine life, ultimately stirring up an issue creating a chain reaction of consequences, although there similar implementation of management strategies which has begun to implement a change although a lot of other major issue surrounding marine life is still undergoing issues, particularly in Andaman being a more social economic issue to GBR which is more prevalent in environmental economic factors.