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We use different resources throughout our life, some came from Earth, this includes; water, food and wood, which are some kinds of sustainable resources.

Definition of sustainable resource:
A resource that is produced as rapidly as it is removed from the environment so that it does not run out (robecco)

There are also non-renewable resources such as fossil fuels like coal, oil and natural gases, which cannot be replaced.

The usage of resources cannot be abused, as there is a limited supply to the non-renewable resources, hence the amount used need to be conserved and it will be for the best to use sustainable substitutions for the same resources.

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Conservative & Sustainable Resources [Forests]

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Conservative & Sustainable Resources [Forests]

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Forests provide different resources such as; Medicinal plants, food, wood, clean water, shelter, bushmeat and many more.

However, some forests in different countries do not have forms of management that ensures safe and sustainable harvest of forest resources, which threatens the ecosystem of that area because of the depletion of resources.

Wood is a very common resource obtained from forests, deforestation occurs when many trees were demolished for wood.

In order to protect ecosystems and prevent a complete wipe of necessary forest resources, methods of management were created to protect the forests.

Sustainable Forestry is a form of sustainable forest management that practices a method of managing forests to meet current needs and wants of a society for forest resources.

This management ensures the availability of the forest resources for future generations.

The UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) had set standards for Sustainable Forestry, known as the National Sustainable Forest Management Requirements, all the requirements are listed below:

Maintenance, conservation and enhancement of ecosystem biodiversity

Protection of ecologically important forest areas

Prohibition of forest conversions

Recognition of free, prior and informed consent of indigenous peoples

Promotion of gender equality and commitment to equal treatment of workers

Promotion of the health and well-being of forest communities

Respect for human rights in forest operations

Respect for the multiple functions of forests to society

Provisions for consultation with local people, communities and other stakeholders

Respect for property and land tenure rights as well as customary and traditional rights

Compliance with all fundamental ILO conventions for worker rights

Working from minimum wage towards living wage levels

Prohibition of genetically modified trees and most hazardous chemicals

Exclusion of certification of plantations established by conversions, including conversions of ecologically important non-forest lands (e.g. peatlands)

Climate positive practices such as reduction of GHG emissions in forest operations

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Forests are needed to produce paper products and provide wood for timber

1. REPLANTING
Much of the world’s paper is now produced from forests which replant similar trees when mature trees are cut, ensuring that there will be adequate supply in the future.
2. QUOTAS
Tropical hardwoods such as teak and mahogany take many years to regrow but are highly desirable for furniture.

->Using these types of wood has now been made more sustainable due to the introduction of several schemes designed to monitor logging companies and track the wood produced (eg the Forestry Stewardship Council)

3. EDUCATION
To remind companies of sustainable practices and consumers  of the importance of buying products made from sustainable sources

4. PROTECTED AREAS
Young trees are protected and only old trees are cut to keep a sustainable enviromnet

https://www.fao.org/sustainable-forests-management/en/

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Conservative & Sustainable Resources [Fish Stocks] 

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Conservative & Sustainable Resources [Fish Stocks] 

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The oceans provide a vast amount of resources and are very crucial to our amazing planet; Earth. (UNCTAD)

Primarily, humans rely on oceans for its abundance of resources, particularly for seafood. And the type of seafood most commonly bought is fish.

Definition of Fish Stock: The living resources in the community or population from which catches are taken in a fishery (europa.eu)

Sustainable fishing is a form of fishing management that ensures to leave enough fish in the ocean and protecting habitats and threatened species.

There are resources that can be farmed sustainably, like fishes that are not near extinction and can repopulate really quickly... Examples: Tilapia, Pacific Cods, Anchovy, Artic Char, Atlantic Mackerel, Haddock (Alaskan Salmon Company) (EDF)

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Fish resources are not UNLIMITED, overfishing is currently one of the largest issues that threaten the oceans. (WWF)

There are a few ways of conservation used in sustainable fishing management. These include education, closed seasons, protected areas, controlled net types and mesh size, quotas, and monitoring.

All of the methods listed above ensure the species of live fish harvested will not be extinct or overfarmed. These methods also prevent the collapse of the ecosystem it harvests resources from as well.

Education:
The simplest form yet expensive method is used to teach future generations the sustainable ways of consuming fish. Education can also be taught to fishing industries and inform them that overfishing can only bring harm and teach them sustainable ways to harvest resources like fish from the ocean.

For example, Europe has embedded sustainable farming and standards set by the UN into their curriculums in schools.

'Hundreds of girls and boys come to learn everything a fish farmer needs to know today,' (euronews.green)

Closed Seasons:
This is a small 'break' for the fisheries to take a rest and allow the fish to repopulate in their environment as no fishermen or commercial fishing boats are allowed to harvest fish during the chosen season, this ensures the continuity of the supply of fish present in its ecosystems.

Hong Kong has a closed season for fishing, it is from around October to March. The waters of Hong Kong are in the Southeast China seas, with great opportunities for fishing. The waters are full of Tuna, Grouper, and Snappers. (https://rove.me/to/hong-kong/deep-sea-fishing)
But it is known to all that this ocean is left alone to repopulate during specific seasons.

Protected Areas:
Currently, some countries signed up for their oceans and habitats to be protected. The International Union for Conservation of Nature created something called 'Hope Spots' that had been initiated to ensure the areas receive protection.

This helps fishes in these areas to repopulate, grow and rebuild the ecosystem, giving them a chance to thrive and not be threatened by the harm caused by fishing industries.

There are currently 140 hope spots, and according to studies, less than 8% of the oceans are protected (National Geographic). There are slightly more than 1000 protected marine areas (National Geographic), and many of these are not always managed or controlled properly. Illegal boats still sail in and harvest marine life in these 'protected areas'.

Controlled net types:
Some nets are created to drag everything in an area, including the ocean floor, these types of nets cause massive problems for the habitat as they destroy everything in their path.

Controlled net types help lessen the amount of impact caused by fishermen (NOAA) when using these nets, being able to create certain types of nets to reduce mass destruction.

Moreover, some nets have different sizes used to catch different kinds of marine life instead of catching anything that exists below the surface with a giant net. This allows more precise harvests and prevents the over-farming of other species of marine life.

Many nets are left in the ocean as pollutants, trapping marine life and suffocating them in their own home. Some biodegradable nets are also created to reduce the amount of waste left behind by nets, but still, many fishing industries refused to adapt to different net types.

Mesh Size:
The most common and effective way to conserve a sustainable stock of resources.

It is a standard size chart permitted by the government that sends out a message that sounds a little like this 'If you farm a fish or marine life not in a standard size, I don't care if you farm it too big or too small, you gotta chuck it back into the ocean.'

This method is extremely effective as a range of sizes of harvested fish stocks can be preserved. The fishes that are not large enough were given a chance to grow as they were returned to the ocean and the large ones are also returned to the ocean to maintain a standard size. (conservationevidence.com)

Quotas and Monitoring:
What are quotas and monitoring, and why are they important?

Quotas are like catch limits that are standardised for an area, ensuring that a righteous amount of marine life is caught from that area. This method prevents overfishing and guarantees that different countries have a fair amount of catches that have been calculated individually from the stock of resources they own.

Monitoring is done by large organisations, whether it is a charity or run by the government. The monitoring methods include patrol ships surrounding certain areas and monitoring agents making sure the resources are in abundance, making regular visits to check the biodiversity in the area, and determining whether it is safe or not to allow commercial fishing to happen. (europa.eu) (FAO)

For example, the National Ocean Service helps monitor oceans and coasts by tracking contaminants in the water, assessing environmental change, monitoring sea-level rise, or surveying the coastline and coastal sea floor, NOS physical, chemical, and biological observations help coastal communities make the best decisions for them and for the environment. (National Ocean Service). Moreover, they also help support a wide variety of marine life, from corals and fish to clams, plants, and bacteria. The organisms in benthic habitats play important roles in ecosystem health by functioning as part of the ocean food web and helping to filter pollutants out of the water. Healthy habitats also play an important economic role by providing food, protecting areas from erosion, and sustaining tourism-related jobs. (National Ocean Service).

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Boats and boating--Equipment and supplies

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Jacob with his 100 year old Maine Lobster Buddy :D 

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Jacob Knowles is from Maine and he works in a commercial fishing boat that farms Lobsters in the Atlantic Ocean. He is the 5th generation of lobster fishermen working in this lobster farming industry. (https://jacob-knowles.com/)

He showcases how the commercial boat harvests lobsters sustainably in Maine. He often has a measuring chart with a ruler on board, always checking if the lobsters are of standard size. Females that have eggs are given a notch on their swimming fin to alert future fishermen that they can be fertile and cannot be farmed, EVER. Females are then gently lowered back into the ocean to reproduce and can never be farmed or consumed.

Male lobsters that are larger than standard size are also lowered back into the ocean, so they can reproduce with the females and ensure larger genetics can be passed on to future lobsters, helping the sizes to have varied ranges.

If you remember from previous biology topics, if every oversized lobster is harvested. With only the small male lobsters are left behind to reproduce with females. This causes the lobsters to get smaller and smaller as time goes on and causes potential problems for future harvests and stocks.

Does anyone remember the specific reason why?

Also, go check out his youtube it's interesting;
https://www.youtube.com/@jacobknowles5421/about

There is also more similar content like the Louisiana Crawfish Company (LouisianaCrawfish Co.), which does run-downs on how to farm sustainably, however, this company is not as sustainable as the Lobster one, because the crawfish company also catches the large ones, only sending the smaller ones back into the habitats.

What is going to happen in the near future? Does anyone want to guess?