根據美國德州農工大學的一份研究指出，人們從湖泊及河流中所捕撈的漁獲並非取之不盡，而其所帶來的工作及收入已今非昔比。人類對於物種一次又一次的過度開發，正嚴重的威脅到全球內陸水系的生物多樣性及生態平衡。
德州農業實驗站魚類專家瓦恩米勒博士主導將發表在12月號《生物科學》的研究結果，他表示「內陸水系的過度捕魚是被忽略的一項危機。」他說人們太不注意這個問題。
瓦恩米勒和他的研究團隊發現，漁獲總數可能維持在相當高的數字，但是個別的魚類正在消失。當一種魚耗損完畢，漁夫們就把目標轉移到另一種魚上。他解釋：「儘管漁獲總數看來穩定，但是生物多樣性卻逐漸衰頹，直到整個系統崩潰。」
該團隊表示共同經營「重點漁獲」的水系區域需要地方人士和漁業專家一起計畫。
不過該團隊也體認到建立在漁業管理上的生態系統需要長時間來發展。雖然許多研究已經紀錄過度捕魚是全球漁業衰頹的主因，大部分的注意力都還是放在海洋漁業上。瓦恩米勒表示因為缺少足夠的相關漁業資訊，所以內陸水系鮮少被提及。但他也表示內陸水系的魚類比起海洋魚類更受威脅。
Fish pulled from the world's lakes and rivers is not the endless source of food, jobs and income that it once appeared to be, according to new research from Texas A&M University. Overexploitation of one species after another is rapidly threatening biodiversity and balance of inland water ecosystems worldwide.
"Overfishing of inland waters is a neglected crisis," said Dr. Kirk Winemiller, Texas Agricultural Experiment Station fish researcher, who led the research study published in the December issue of "BioScience." Too little attention is paid to the problem, Winemiller said.
<p>The total catch may remain high, Winemiller and his team have found, but invidual species are disappearing. As one species is depleted, the next species is targeted by fishermen. "So, the overall catch appears stable while biodiversity declines until a point of collapse may be reached," he explained.
The team said it will take local people working with fisheries experts to develop plans to co-manage the "critically harvested" bodies of water.
But the team recognizes that ecosystem based fisheries management may be long in developing. Although many studies have documented over-fishing to be a major cause of the decline of global fisheries, most of the focus is on oceans.
Inland waters are rarely mentioned because not enough information has been gathered about these fisheries, Winemiller said. Yet, he said, fish from inland waters are more threatened than those in oceans.
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In my healing journey and learning to attain the breath awareness, I become aware of the reality that all the creatures of the world are breathing the same breath. Take action, here and now. From my physical being to the every corner of this out of balance's planet.
