What is poaching?

What is overfishing?

The environment is one of the most important aspects that affects our lives and the lives of other creatures above the surface of the Earth. That is why we must preserve it and its balance. To ensure the sustainability of our lives on our planet. One of the most threatening human activities to our environment is overfishing. Indeed, it is the most dangerous challenge and has the most negative impact onbiodiversityin particular and the environment in general.

In this context, we must realize that the environment is a precious natural resource that provides us with many benefits, whether economic, health, or cultural. Preserving the environment enhances the sustainability of natural resources, and is one of the protectors of the ecosystems on which life depends. A balanced environment also contributes to reducing the effects ofclimate change, as we mentioned before in a number of articles, such as: “What is biodiversity?” And “What are natural reserves?”, within the series(What…?), in the Earth Guards magazine.

Poaching and its legal consequences

Poaching is the process of illegally hunting animals, fish, and eating plants, whether in areas where hunting is prohibited or on private property. Because this process is a clear threat to wild creatures around the world, and a path to the loss of biodiversity.

It also includeskilling animalsoutside the predetermined hunting seasons, using illegal weapons, and without obtaining a permit. Or the fisherman exceeded the permissible limits for fishing.

Accordingly, experts from the Wildlife Trade Monitoring Network (TRAFFIC) estimate the value of profits generated from the illegal trade in wild animals at billions of dollars. This, of course, poses a threat to wildlife conservation efforts, which took many years to achieve.

Despite this, there is anillegal tradein wildlife, where animals are hunted and the fruits of plants are harvested legally, then sold in the form of food – and subsequent medicines – and pets. But the problem lies in the noticeable increase in cases of illegal poaching, which poses a direct threat to the survival of many animal species in the wild.

As for the legal aspects, in 1998, environmental scientists at the University of Massachusetts classified poaching as an environmental crime, explaining that it includes any activity that conflicts with the laws and regulations of protectingrenewable natural resources, and this includes the intention to own, transfer, destroy, sell, or use parts of them. They considered poaching to be one of the most serious threats to the survival of animals and plants. Hence, the article takes us to another aspect, which is the global efforts made in the field of combating poaching.

International Day Against Poaching

In 2015, the FAO General Committee on Fisheries for the Mediterranean submitted a proposal to launch an initiative to celebratethe International Day against IUU Fishing. After extensive consultations, the proposal was presented at the thirty-second session of the Committee, which supported this proposal to declare June 5 of each year an International Day to Combat Unreported or Unregulated Poaching and criminalize it globally.

It is worth noting that this date in particular was chosen; Because it coincides with the date the agreement was officially signed as an international treaty. So this prompts us to talk about types of poaching.

Types of poaching

First-Wild poaching, which is a type that includes several different purposes and activities, including:

• Pet trade:Some wild animals are hunted and collected for sale as pets, which puts many of these animals at risk.
• Hunting rare animals:Some of these animals are for religious or scientific purposes.
• Obtaining a source of food:The meat of monkeys, snakes, and some other jungle animals is considered a desirable food among the inhabitants of some African countries. Therefore, it is widely caught there.
• Hunting for the purpose of traditional medicine: Many peoples believe – incorrectly – that certain parts of the body of some wild animals can treat many diseases. Pangolins, for example, are hunted to use some parts of their bodies to treat certain diseases, the horn of a rhinoceros is used in the manufacture of medicines, the gall of a bear is used in preparing Chinese herbal remedies, and the eyes, bones and organs of a tiger (an animal known – incorrectly – as a tiger) are used in traditional medicine.

Last- Marine poaching, which is excessive fishing of animals and marine organisms:

• Sea turtle fishing:This type of fishing occurs accidentally or intentionally. For commercial purposes, this is despite the fact that it is an endangered species whose hunting is prohibited.
• Fishing: Such as sharks for the purpose of obtaining fins, and whales are deliberately hunted in some countries, in addition to the hunting of dolphins and porpoises.
• Destruction of coral reefs:This is the result of illegal fishing using dynamite, and overfishing causes the extinction of coral fish and coral reefs.

These practices are not scientifically supported, and there is no strong evidence proving their effectiveness in treating diseases. In addition, these activities help increase the threat to wild animals and reduce the balance of the ecosystem. Therefore, illegal hunting of wild animals is a threat to the preservation ofanimal species, and negatively affects biodiversity and the entire environment.

In conclusion, we must realize that the environment is our common inheritance and the basis of our lives and the lives of future generations, and that cooperation to support the environment and its resources and combat overfishing and its effectsA promising investmentfor our future and the future of our entire planet; So let’s work together on this, so we can enjoy a healthy and prosperous planet. This article is only a step towards achieving this goal, asEarth Guards Magazineattempted to simplify the term “poaching”; In support of the environment and its organisms, and in order to achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) locally and regionally.