Overexploitation
Harvesting or removal of organisms faster than populations can reproduce, causing population decline.
Formula
Maximum Sustainable Yield: MSY = rK/4
Real World
Atlantic cod stocks off Newfoundland collapsed in 1992 after decades of industrial overfishing, forcing the Canadian government to impose a moratorium that left 40,000 fishers unemployed.
Exam Focus
Use named case studies with dates and data when answering 'evaluate' questions on overexploitation to reach the highest mark bands.
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