Living Resources
Although most fish are caught as they swim in the open waters of the ocean, bottom
trawlingis a method of fishing that involves towing a weighted net across the seafloor to
harvest fish from the ocean floor. In many areas where bottom trawling is done, ecosystems
are severely disturbed by the large nets and other fishing gear that people use. Many species
of fish are being overharvested, which means their rate of reproduction cannot keep up with
the rate at which people consume them. For this reason, a few areas in the world have laws
that limit bottom trawling to waters not more than 1,000 meters deep or waters far from
protected and sensitive areas. Still, recent reports on fishing resources tell us that urgent
action is required to restore species of fish that have been taken in too great numbers.
The seafloor is home to many types of sea creatures, like clams, abalone, sea snails, and
slugs. Some of these animals are used as food by people. Like the rich range of life in the
rainforests, coral reefs in the ocean are sites of great biological diversity (Figure 14.25).
Some of the organisms found in the ocean provide us with medications. The ocean floor
also indirectly supports most life in the oceans, since upwelling currents bring important
nutrients from the seafloor to plankton. These plankton in turn, provide food for most other
creatures in the oceanic food web.
Figure14.25: TheseafloorinthecoralreefsofPapuaNewGuineaishometomanyimportant
species. ( 33 )