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BOCACCIO ROCKFISH
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Bocaccio Trapped in Cages
The Prawn Industry's Effect on the Bocaccio Rockfish
During bocaccio's adulthood, they can be found swimming through deep reefs in open-bottomed habitats of up to 320m deep. These rockfish are constantly targeted intentionally and unintentionally by commercial fisherman. They are regularly caught as by-catch, unintentionally trapped while commercial fisheries are targeting a different species. Prawns are caught off of Washington and British Columbia in metal traps. Bocaccio are often by-catch in these prawn traps, both live and dead. Many of these traps are derelict or aren’t managed well, allowing for more issues avoiding or releasing the rockfish (Antonelis, 2019).
“Bocaccio caught unintentionally as bycatch by prawning boats and vessels” (pxfuel, 2019)
Habitats Are Being Ripped Apart
Bottom Trawling Affects Ocean Ecosystems
Bottom trawling is a commercial fishing method where a very large net is dragged across the ocean floor, picking up everything in its way, from the desired species to other fish, coral and plants. These undesired species, called by-catch, are often discarded or ignored, dying and losing their habitat for no reason. These species are called by-catch. These bottom trawls cause a lot of habitat destruction, which has decreased already overfished bocaccio populations (Ocean Wise, 2019).
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“Bottom Trawling Fishing Boat, Destroys Bocaccio’s Habitat” (Bos, 2016)
From 2002 to 2012, bocaccio populations dropped 28%
Needless Amounts of Rockfish are Dying Every Day
Stop the Blasé Attitudes of Commercial Fisheries
When fishers are looking for other species, they often pull bocaccio to the surface. The animals die immediately because they can’t adjust to sudden changes in pressure. So, even when these boats aren’t hoping to catch these fish and would often release them, their ineffective fishing style causes bocaccio casualties (Government, 2017).
The Fish Are Killed For Human Consumption
Rockfish are constantly targeted by commercial fishermen for their value to humans. Rockfish are beneficial to humans for their use of meat. Many species of rockfish, such as the bocaccio, are widely found in markets along the west coast, and used as food. The annual catch limit raised in 2019 by 183%, allowing 2,097 metric tons to be fished. There aren’t strict enough regulations on these overfished, critically endangered species. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration sets these limits in an attempt to conserve species. However, although numbers of bocaccio have only been rising in small areas, the entire species was mischaracterized as safe to be fished more. This is a big enough problem without the plethora of other issues decreasing bocaccio populations (Sahagun, 2018). If the species continues to decline at an alarming rate, the bocaccio won’t be around for long. This is all due to commercial fishing, and our needs for consumption of the rockfish. Rockfish are in critical need of recovery.
“Bocaccio Sought After by Fisherman for Human Consumption” (NOAA Fishwatch, 2009)
THE WARMING CLIMATE
In a sense, we are all contributing to the extinction of the bocaccio rockfish. Bocaccio are very sensitive to warm waters; they require a cold water habitat of anywhere from 57 to 59 degrees Fahrenheit. (Chesapeake, 2018). Our human activity, waste, and ecological footprint all leads to climate change and global warming, which will result in water temperature rising, and a decline of the bocaccio species. YOU can make a change, and help the bocaccio by improving your sustainability and ecological footprint that you leave on the planet. Simple things, such as eating organically, consuming less meat, bike or walk to work, reducing your waste, etc. are all beneficial things that will help the bocaccio in the long run.
Rockfish Populations are Being Affected By Multiple Branches of HIPPCO
HIPPCO is an acronym for the largest threats known to species and biodiversity.
Habitat destruction-
As bocaccio rockfish go through their lives in the ocean, they mature and move towards the sea floor, living amongst the rocks or coral. (NOAA Fisheries. 2019, January 8). Their homes are destroyed when bottom trawling fishing boats focused on catching small fish, crabs or shrimp (NOAA Fisheries, 2019), move through and tear up the habitat. You can help by raising awareness about this horrible fishing technique and urging companies to stop can positively change the way bocaccio live.
Invasive species-
There are no invasive species that affect the bocaccio directly. Invasive species are species that are not native to a specific location and one that tends to spread fast and create a danger to the environment (US Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 2019).
Population growth-
Population growth is also known as overuse of resources in an environment (“Student Resource Glossary,” 2019). A study conducted by the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) states that roughly 90 percent of the worlds fish stocks are now fully fished or overfished. That means that nine in every ten stocks are being used at or above sustainable levels (Myers, 2016). If this doesn’t change soon then we will face the consequences of our actions.
Pollution-
When you are washing your car, spraying fertilizers on your garden, or dropping a piece of trash and "forgetting" to pick it up, you are contributing to pollution. Runoff from pesticides, oil spills and soap all contaminate the water and make it so that fish are depleted from oxygen (also known as a dead zone which is an area in lakes or oceans with less oxygen where marine life either dies or leaves the area) (US Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 2020), along with the heavy level of metals and poisonous chemicals in the runoff that will easily harm or kill fish (“Water Q&A: What causes fish kills?,” 2019). Pollution doesn’t just affect bocaccio rockfish, it affects everyone so take your car to the car wash, use natural fertilizers (or none at all), and pick up after yourself because you could be saving a life!!
Climate change-
Our climate is changing at a rapid rate and in a negative direction. One result due to climate change is an increase in temperature in our oceans. Warmer waters contain less oxygen than cold water so as you can imagine, as the water increasingly gets warmer, it increasingly gets harder for fish to breath which causes a decrease in the bocaccio rockfish population (“Water Q&A: What causes fish kills?,” 2020). Climate change is a result of human activity, so the only way to reverse it is for humans to fix what they have broken. If you want to decrease climate change and help the bocaccio rockfish then using renewable sources, less waste, eating less meat (and fish), and more, will get us one step closer to reaching that goal!
Over exploiting fish is defined as taking advantage of or over harvesting, and can lead to extreme destruction and even extinction. A study from 2012 by the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) states that 87% of the world’s fisheries are overexploited. Bocaccio are not being harvested sustainably so they are affected by overexploitation.