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Overfishing

Definition

Overfishing refers to the excessive harvesting of fish from a body of water, depleting the population to unsustainable levels and disrupting the ecosystem.

Analogy

Imagine going to an all-you-can-eat buffet and taking more food than you can eat. Eventually, there won't be enough food left for others, causing a shortage. Similarly, overfishing is like taking too many fish from the ocean without giving them enough time to reproduce and replenish their numbers.

Related terms

Fisheries: Fisheries are areas where fish are commercially caught or harvested for human consumption.

Breeding Population: The breeding population refers to the number of individuals within a species that are capable of reproducing and contributing to future generations.

Bycatch: Bycatch refers to unintentionally catching non-target species while fishing for a specific species.