Such damages can be caused by direct physical destruction of the underwater landform and vegetation, overfishing (especially of keystone species), indiscriminate killing/maiming of aquatic life, disruption of vital reproductive cycles, and lingering water pollution.
Many fishing techniques can be destructive if used inappropriately, but some practices (such as blasting, electrocution and poisoning) are particularly likely to result in irreversible damage to the ecosystem.
No widely accepted definition of the phrase exists, and this will almost certainly remain the situation, given very different national and industry perspectives.
The Outcomes and Implementation Statements of the World Summit on Sustainable Development, held in Johannesburg in 2002, contain a commitment to phasing out destructive fishing practices in the marine environment by the year 2012.
The explosions indiscriminately kill large numbers of fish and other marine organisms in the vicinity and can damage or destroy the physical environment.
Bottom trawling targets both bottom-living fish (groundfish) and semi-pelagic species such as cod, squid, shrimp, and rockfish.
This species is home to a diverse community of deep-sea organisms, but is easily damaged by fishing gear.
Muro-ami is a destructive artisan fishing method employed on coral reefs in Southeast Asia.