I read an article about how industrial and agricultural runoff and overfishing are causing an increase in nasty ocean organisms such as jellyfish and certain toxic algae and I wondered: What could I do to stop overfishing and toxic runoff? What technologies exist, and what technologies will exist in the future, to stop this problem?

Also, what should I do if I get stung by jellyfish or toxic algae?

- Maha Vailo

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When you get down to it, Science answers how. Religion answers why. - hippietrekx

Well, any pollution we do cause is not going to cause an increase in jellyfish. If you do get stung, what to do depends heavily on the type of jellyfish. Some merely create a mild rash and some stinging/itching. Others can be fatal. If in doubt, go to the doctor/hospital.

According to the Mythbusters, Vodka works fine.

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Do try not to take me too seriously.

This is a "tragedy of the commons" problem: it is very hard for an individual to have an impact, because the oceans are shared by everyone. It is a problem of understanding, not technology. To solve these problems requires that everybody understand.

Right now, fishermen take the big fish, and throw the juveniles back. This achieves the Maximum Instantenous Yield (short-term gain).

However, to achieve the Maximum Sustainable Yield (long-term sustainability, i.e. the opposite), we must do the opposite: take the small fish and throw the big fish back.

Big fish lay bigger eggs, and more of them, and they know where to find food and when to migrate and spawn. An adult fish population with all the juveniles removed can recover. Fish populations with all the adults removed crash, however, do not recover...or at least, recover extremely slowly. Taking small fish and leaving big ones will result in the maximum long-term yield, but it requires convincing every fisherman to trade instant gratification for long-term gain.

How likely is that ?


Man, if you get stung by toxic algae, its all over

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PW -- Plant Whisperer

So, what can an individual do to stop overfishing and toxic runoff? I haven't recieved any suggestions as to what I could do about it.

Also, why would it be "all over" for me if I got stung by toxic algae?

- Maha Vailo

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When you get down to it, Science answers how. Religion answers why. - hippietrekx

Do you understand how to achieve the maximum sustainable yield from a fish population, as opposed to the maximumn instantaneous yield?

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PW -- Plant Whisperer

no stingers. If the toxic algae is so bad that it is evolving stingers, its all over

As for the real questions: do what you can. try to educate yourself and others. It may not look like much is getting done, but any little bit helps

You can eat farm raised fish.

You can write your congressperson - a real letter, not some online email barrage.

You can find a conservation group that buys oceanfront and leaves it natural. I suggest a lot of research before doing that, because many of these groups are very political and waste a lot of money being politcal instead of buying land.

Do a beach clean-up.

No.

Farmed fish are even harder on the environment than free-swimming.

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PW -- Plant Whisperer

Do you have any good references, because IIRC if done properly fish farming can be environmentally friendly.

I've read several books from the library.

Basically, when there are not enough salmon left, for example, the "last resort" is to put them on farms. But to feed them, they have to fish for fish to feed the salmon. So the fishermen are out there catching even smaller fish--because all the big ones are gone--to feed the farm-salmon, but fisherman are not nearly as good at fishing as salmon are. So a lot more small fish have to be caught (because there is a large, throwaway, or "by-catch), so the assault on the ocean is even greater. And the salmon on the farm are crowded, so disease is more prevalent, etc.

And what happens when we have fished-out the fish we feed the farm fish?

Those are the arguments. You don't expect me to back them up with facts, do you?

Fish-farming is like those No interest payments until Jan. 1, 2009 ads: not at all the "deal" it is hyped to be.

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PW -- Plant Whisperer

Additionally, the waste water from fish farms have a high nutrient content, which if untreated leads to oxygen starvation.

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It would be hard to imagine an uglier building that hadn't won a major architectural award.
Trying to make sense of computers, The Error Log.

Stay out of the water.
Don't eat the shellfish

but seriously folks,
The Harmful Algae Page has some very interesting stuff about what algae are harmful and how they cause harm to people.

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At this rate, by Tuesday it will be Thursday; By Wednesday, it will be August and by Thursday, it will be the end of existence as we know it.
- Prof. Farnsworth.

Which books did you happen to read, BTW? Not all books are credible.

Actually, fish farming, if done right, can actually save fish stocks and the environment as well. Here is a pretty good overview.

- Maha Vailo

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When you get down to it, Science answers how. Religion answers why. - hippietrekx

As has ben said before, it depends on the jellyfish, but if it's an Australian Box Jellyfish, you need to sprint out of the water as fast as you can, pour vinegar on the sting...

And pray, cause if it doesn't work you'll die before help can arrive

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There is no dark side of the moon really, as a matter of fact it's all dark - Pink Floyd, The Dark Side Of The Moon

Isn't that reassuring

Except the problem is fish diseases passing to wild fish, not humans!

If you have a monetary interest in fish-farms, like your source, then of course they're good

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PW -- Plant Whisperer

Then name one disease that is being passed from farmed fish to wild as we speak. I'm waiting....

Also, if what you say is true, then why do we never hear of land-based livestock spreading diseases to wildlife. All the incidents I've heard of are the other way around....

Besides, my articles says that disease problems can be minimized by proper siting and maintenance.

- Maha Vailo

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When you get down to it, Science answers how. Religion answers why. - hippietrekx

Actually, it is possible for fish to transmit diseases to humans. I don't know if there are lethal diseases, but I have heard of at least one disease - fish tuberculosis, which is not the same as the respiratory one. Servicing fishtanks where fish have this condition with open wounds on your hands is one way to get infected. I am unsure whether the waste products of fish can transmit this but since its bacterial I'd venture to guess that it can. I wouldn't be surprised if there were other diseases as such.

I've never heard of that disease. Have any references about it? How would I know if I caught it, and what would the doctor do to treat it?

- Maha Vailo

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When you get down to it, Science answers how. Religion answers why. - hippietrekx