Farming Fish Avoids Root Problem

“A Bumper Crop” [April 14] was interesting as far as it went, but the real story was overlooked.

Focusing on the minor environmental concerns of raising fish in man-made fish farms and the need to use various antibiotics and chemicals misses the point of why this effort has to be done in the first place.

It is yet another example of our society’s tendency to take the easy way out and work on effects, which in this case is a shortage of fish, than the real story, which is the rapidly growing strain that overpopulation is forcing on Earth’s finite resources.

The depletion of our natural fisheries through overfishing is only one in a long litany of overpopulation problems such as overcrowded schools, parks, roads, freeways, etc.

As we move into the summer season and the since-time-immemorial natural cycle of increased water usage, it would be enlightening to read serious and salient articles on “Overpopulation Causes Water Restrictions” instead of the same old “Water Shortage Causes Restrictions” headlines and non-stories.

The plain and simple truth is that Earth has no shortages; it has only what it has. The population growth from 1 billion people to more than 6 billion in only 150 years has started to take its toll on Earth’s limited resources.

Mother Nature is trying to tell us something. Hopefully we will listen.

Bob Hoffman

Long Beach