Name: __________________________________

Date: ________________________
Class: _______________

IB ESS

4.3 Aquatic Food

Production Systems
Significant ideas:
Aquatic systems provide a source of food production.
Unsustainable use of aquatic ecosystems can lead to environmental degradation and
collapse of wild fisheries.
Aquaculture provides potential for increased food production.

1
Aquatic Food Webs

1. State the trophic level of phytoplankton in an aquatic food web.

________________________________________________________________
First trophic level

2. Distinguish between benthic and pelagic marine organisms.

________________________________________________________________
Benthic organims are those at the bottom of the sea floor such as corals.Pelagic zone is the water column

________________________________________________________________
and so organisms that reside here are mobile such as jelly fish.

3. Explain the distribution of varying productivity in marine ecosystems.

________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
4. Explain why the territorial water of a country is of significant value to a nation.
________________________________________________________________
It provides a nation with many resources such as food security and economic benefits. Fish is a source of

________________________________________________________________
protein for many people.

________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________

2
(Un-) Sustainable Fishing

1. State and explain the trend in demand for aquatic food resources over time.
________________________________________________________________
Over time there has been an increase in the demand for aquatic food resources. This is due to an increase

________________________________________________________________
in global population size and more people being able to consume seafood (financial development of the

________________________________________________________________
economy).

2. Describe what is meant by the term “aquaculture”.

________________________________________________________________
Aquaculture is the action of farming,breeding,rearing and harvesting of plants and animals in all types of

________________________________________________________________
aquatic environments such as ponds, lakes and rivers.

________________________________________________________________
3. The amount of food provided by wild-catch fish is plateauing worldwide, while the amount
provided by aquaculture is increasing. Suggest reasons for this.
________________________________________________________________
Humans are over-fishing and not properly managing the aquatic systems. In addition, there have been

________________________________________________________________
significant technological advancements that make it easier to catch large numbers of fish.

________________________________________________________________
4. Explain the need for more sustainable aquaculture.
Aquaculture can cause several environmental impacts including the use of pesticides, the spread-
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
ing of diseases, loss of habitats, eutrophication.
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
5. Describe ways in which aquaculture is becoming more sustainable.
________________________________________________________________
Plyculture farmins is being developed where the fecal matter is then consumed by other species such as

________________________________________________________________
algae. This lowers the levels of nutrients in the water and reduced the risk of eutrophication.

________________________________________________________________
Farming of native fish is also more sustainable.

________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________

3
6. Outline an aquaculture system that is unsustainable, and explain the ways in which it is
unsustainable.
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________

4
7. Explain how modern fishing practices and technology contribute to the unsustainability of the
wild fishing industry. Use the table to guide your answers.

____________________________________________
Easier to find more fish in more places at a faster rate.

GPS navigation ____________________________________________

____________________________________________
____________________________________________
Allows for massive amounts of fish to be stored and caught.
At-sea
refrigeration ____________________________________________
techniques ____________________________________________
____________________________________________
Results in extensive fishing due to the on-board facilities.

Factory vessels ____________________________________________

____________________________________________
____________________________________________
Large amount of by-catch.
Indiscriminate
fishing ____________________________________________
equipment ____________________________________________
____________________________________________
Can be destructive to the sea floor ecosystems (reef) as they drag across

Use of trawlers ____________________________________________

them.

____________________________________________

5
8. Summarise ways in which unsustainable exploitation of aquatic systems can be mitigated.
The restoration and protection of marine fisheries.
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
Protect and restore marine habitats such as mangroves and coral reefs.

________________________________________________________________
Implement regulations and limits on the numbers of fish that can be caught.
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
9. Evaluate the above strategies.
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________

6
Controversial Fishing

1. Describe what is meant by the term “biorights”.

________________________________________________________________
Biorights are the rights that endagered species and certain landscapes have to remain unmolested.

________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
2. What type of environmental value system is expressed by a person who puts a strong
emphasis on biorights?
________________________________________________________________
Deep ecologist

3. Summarise the arguments against harvesting of seals and whales

________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
4. List some of the products made from whales.
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
5. State and justify your opinion on the harvesting of whales.
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________

7
Controversial Fishing – CASE STUDY

To answer the following questions you will need to conduct your own research into whaling in
Iceland, and amongst Inuit people. You can use the following resources as a starting point:
iwc.int/
iwc.int/aboriginal
uk.whales.org/issues/whaling-in-iceland

1. What is the International Whaling Commission and what is their role?

________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
2. There is currently a moratorium on whaling. Explain what this means.
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
3. Summarise Iceland’s historical relationship with the IWC.
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
4. Despite being a member of the IWC and there subject to the moratorium, Iceland continued
to hunt fin whales (amongst other whale species). What loophole did they use?
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
4. State and explain the current ruling on whaling for aboriginal groups such as Inuits.
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________

8
5. Compare whaling practices and justification by Iceland with those of the Inuit people.
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________