Jeanette: We must stop the overfishing of the Guantabe

Jeanette: We must stop the overfishing of the Guantabe fishing beds off the coast of Ecuador. Unless the overfishing is curtailed, several local species of fish may become extinct.
Sandra: The people who live on the Ecuadoran coast depend on the fish for their survival. To deprive them of this source of food might mean death by starvation.

Which of the following, if true, is the best objection that could be made from Jeanette’s point of view to counter Sandra’s point?


1] There are species of fish in other locations that are quite similar to the fish found in the Guantabe fishing beds.

2] Allowing particular species to breed unchecked can upset the delicate balance of the ecosystem in the entire area.

3] A steady diet of fish can raise the level of PCBs (known carcinogens) in the body of a human to dangerous levels.

4] In a study, it was found that the coastal Ecuadorians would willingly eat other foods when they were available.

5] The vast majority of the fish now taken from the Guantabe fishing beds is taken by commercial fishing ships that sell their catch in other countries.