How Does Overfishing Affect the Environment?

Overfishing occurs when people catch too many fish from the ocean faster than the fish can reproduce and replenish their population.

Overfishing can lead to various problems, such as a decline in fish populations, disruption of marine ecosystems and loss of biodiversity. It can also impact coastal communities that depend on fishing for their livelihoods. 

Overfishing can cause long-term harm to marine environments and the people who depend on them.

Explore Overfishing with an Infographic

This printable infographic and accompanying comprehension worksheet are the perfect way to help your students understand the importance of conserving fish supplies in our oceans. The infographic contains many eye-opening facts about overfishing, such as:

• 52% of the world’s fish stocks are fully exploited.
• Today, humans eat twice as many fish as we were eating 50 years ago.
• Five out of eight tuna species are at risk of extinction.

Students will read and analyze the infographic about overfishing, then answer a series of questions about the topic using evidence from the text. This could be completed as a whole-class, small-group or independent activity.

Download to Explore Overfishing

This resource can be downloaded in a number of different file formats. These are:

• Color PDF
• Black-and-white PDF
• Google Slides (worksheets only)

Use the dropdown menu on the Download button above to access your preferred version.

As these files contain answer pages, we recommend printing one copy of the entire file, then selecting and removing the pages you wish to photocopy for the students.

Michael Bailey, a teacher in New York and a Teach Starter collaborator, contributed to this resource.

More Sustainability Activities for Your Classroom

Looking for more activities to explore conservation and sustainability with your students? Click on the resources below to add to your collection!

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