HINTS:
More than half of the annual fish catch comes from the cold and temperate waters of the northern hemisphere. The major factors responsible are:
• Plankton availability
Cool waters favor the reproduction of phytoplankton. Presence of more plankton that are food for fish avail large numbers of fish.
• Meeting of ocean currents
For instance meeting of warm Gulf Stream and cold Labrador current, Grand banks and Newfoundland in North America is one of the best fishing grounds in the world. Similarly congruence of Kuroshio and Oyashio in Japan . Other examples are Dogger bank in Europe.
• Extensive continental shelves
In the northern hemisphere, there are extensive continental shelves which favor fishing grounds.
• Rugged and hilly terrain
The rugged and hilly terrain make agriculture difficult, many people opt for fishing as the main economic activity hence its development.
• Fishing equipment
In medieval times temperate forests provided both soft and hard wood for construction of fishing boats. Today, commercial fishing vessels does not need this, but steel and heavy engineering industry also developed in surrounding coastal regions leading to enormous shipbuilding industries.
• Technology
Presence of sophisticated technology that is highly employed in the handling of fish.
• Fishing market
In the higher and mountainous regions of Asia and Europe especially Japan and Norway as agricultural production is also quite low people rely on fish as a source of protein. Also in many Asian countries fish is a staple diet.
There are multiple uses with fish in Northern hemisphere. For instance in developed countries, fishes are even used as animal food, fertilizers, medical uses of cod liver oil, demand for other fish products (walrus, seals).
When Europeans started migrating to North America, most of the early urban settlements were on or near the Eastern coast which were ready as market for selling fish products.
• Coastline
Highly indented coastline provides many sites for harbours and ports.
• Climate
In tropical areas fish cannot be stored for long whereas in cool temperate climate large scale commercial fishing, preservation and storage of fish can be done.
• Labour
In higher latitudes of northern hemisphere there are long winters which are unsuitable for cultivation so many people switch to fishing so labour is easily available especially in the countries like Iceland, Japan, Norway etc.
Why is commercial fishing not very prominent in Southern hemisphere?
• In Southern hemisphere population is less compared to the northern hemisphere so fish demand is comparatively less here.
• Also in these countries, there is more demand for meat and dairy products rather than fishes.
• Continental shelves are narrower than Europe and North America.
