Impacts of overfishing:
As mentioned earlier, overfishing does not just affect the species that is targeted but a whole lot of other species that happen to get in the way of the net or the hook.
Destruction of such species not only dwindles their numbers in the ocean but it also disrupts the balance in the food chain. And this in turn is leading to the disappearance of a large number of different species of fish as they are deprived of their natural habitats.
The evolutionary process of a lot of marine species are getting affected by overfishing as well. Relative decrease in the size and premature reproduction are some of the most common evolutionary changes that have been noticed.
Studies have also proven that overfishing decreases the genetic diversity of marine life.
An economic impact of overfishing is that, overfishing cannot be solved immediately since a large portion of the population of developing countries depend on fishing for a source of food and income. If overfishing in checked over a short period of time it will drastically affect the human population in terms of scarcity of sea food and wealth.
Many fishing vessels stay in deep waters far away in the sea for a longer duration and over time they lose their nets. These nets remain in the water and continue to trap and kill millions of fish and other marine creatures.
Pollution is yet another impact of overfishing. The fishing vessels that spill or discard chemicals or oils into the ocean also affect the marine life.