Hunting and fishing

Overhunting and overfishing are major threats to wildlife populations in the West of England. In the past, industrial hunting to make money from certain animal products has driven species, like the otter, to the brink of extinction. 

Similarly, unsustainable fishing practices like overfishing salmon have had a big impact on our marine ecosystems. 

In the West of England, and the rest of the UK, overfishing has had a particularly severe impact on marine biodiversity. Over half of the UK’s most important fish stocks are being overfished, or are in a critical stage, according to Oceana. This overfishing not only depletes fish populations but also disrupts entire marine ecosystems. 

To restore balance to our ecosystems and reduce the impact on our native wildlife, we need to introduce measures to regulate hunting and fishing activities, and consider more carefully how much fish we consume, and where it comes from.