Question

Unfortunately, one response to these regulations has been pirate fishing: fishing done without regard to national or international laws. Motivated by both need and greed, individual and commercial fishers alike have violated fishing regulations and laws the world over. As the World Wildlife Foundation reports on its website, "Pirate fishing accounts for an estimated 20% of the world’s catch and as much as 50% in some fisheries. The costs of illegal fishing are significant, with the value of pirate fish products estimated at between $10–$23.5 billion annually." Not only is this a noteworthy illegal profit, these pirate fishers are difficult to stop.

Which of the following is a minor supporting detail?

Answer 1

A minor supporting detail on the topic of pirate fishing might include specific examples such as the high discard rates by shrimp trawlers, the practice of fishing down the food chain due to overfished top predators, or the high value of illegally captured species like the giant bluefin tuna.

Step-by-step explanation:

In addressing the issue of pirate fishing and its impacts, a minor supporting detail might be a specific example that underlines the breadth of the challenge posed by illegal fishing activities. For instance, the fact that 'shrimp trawlers discard approximately 90% of their catch, which is illegal and contributes significantly to the unreported catch' is a minor detail supporting the broader discussion on the impacts of pirate fishing on global fisheries.

Another minor supporting detail could be that 'marine fisheries overexploitation has led to a necessity to target ever-smaller pelagic fish, known as 'fishing down the food chain.' This is due to the inability to capture top predatory fish which have declined significantly, leaving fishers to focus on smaller species.

The statement that 'giant bluefin tuna may be the most valuable animal on the planet, with illegal captures elevating their worth' also serves as a minor supporting detail illustrating the incentives for pirate fishing.