Hunting  Trade  Collection  Overexploitation

Overexploitation is the diasppearance of so many individuals that the population cannot maintain itself. Since the 1600's, worldwide overexploitation of animals for food and other products has caused numerous species to become extinct or endangered.

One of the most well known examples of commercial exploitation is the whale hunting industry, in which whales are slaughtered for oil and meat, leading many whale species to the brink of extinction. A century ago, humans could not seriously threaten whales because of rather primitive technology. However, by 1967, about 60,000 whales were killed, producing about 1.5 million barrels of oil. Then hunting expanded to smaller whales, Sperms and Minkes, because the larger ones had almost disappeared completely. Although perservation groups warned whalers to let the populations recover, they continued to hunt, increasing the slaughter.

The whaling industry thinks strictly in economic terms. To their point of view, the best strategy would be to continue hunting until catches did not bring a suitable profit in. The whaling ships could then be used either for other purposes or sold and the money obtained would be used to exploit some other resource. Some people believe that the future is so distant that it will not affect them.

This attitude forgets about the consequences of their actions and what will result from such actions, i.e. the future is ignored. Whales are also what is known as "common property" resource. This is just means that no one person owns all the whales, so they are free to be hunted by everyone and anyone. When everyone feels this way, pursuing his or her own self-interest so unthinkably, the results are often tragic.

Not only the whaling industry but the fishing industry has developed greatly as well. Larger, faster ships, sonar, better nets etc. has increased the ability of commercial fisherman to catch fish. This has depleted fish resources badly and something has to be done otherwise more fish will become endangered than the already growing number.