Does Overfishing Promote Algal Blooms ?

This note provides scientific evidence for a connection between overfishing and the development of algal blooms, and presents several European case-studies supporting this hypothesis. Overfishing has contributed to the increasing problem of algal blooms in Europe. Overexploitation of offshore stocks has changed the structure of many marine ecosystems, which has promoted the accumulation of algal biomass. Today, detrimental effects of overfishing on offshore food webs are spreading to coastal ecosystems, causing problems with near shore water quality and habitat loss.