Ocean fishing is big business, but it is not a recent development. In the 17th century, the need for lamp oil, and then the whale blubber from which the oil was made, led to the overfishing of our oceans for their whales and witnessed the subsequent decimation of the whale population. By the mid-20th century, many nations of our world had passed favorable policies and laws, enacted subsidies, and made loans with the intent of providing more, better, and more cost-effective fishing to large industrial fishing operations. These laws were not intended to preserve fish, nor did they attempt to protect the environment in any meaningful way. The increase in the world's population, both then and now, has continually pushed the demand for fish higher and higher. Predictably, as with other large, profit-seeking industries, large commercial fishing companies aggressively pursued their goals and made heavy use of technological advances, thus managing to find, catch and process fish an even faster pace. This great push to obtain more and cheaper fish has now put the world's fish population at risk. Some examples: By the mid-1900s, Atlantic cod, herring, and California sardines were harvested on the brink of extinction. Demand for shark fin soup in Asia has contributed to serious overfishing. Sharks, along with bluefin tuna and many other ocean fish species, are in grave danger of extinction. Awareness of these issues is increasing and limited steps have been and continue to be made. Deep sea trawling, or bottom trawling, in which a net is pulled along the sea floor behind a fishing vessel, removes much of the ocean life that resides there. In October 2006, the extremely harmful practice of deep-sea paper extraction, mining, and the use of vehicles or equipment in waterways, among many other things that are listed, was put to an end. The Fishway Act helps ensure that fish passage through waterways continues to be protected. Fishing in Alaska, however, has been called one of the most dangerous jobs in the United States by the CDC, with an annual mortality rate that is 26 times higher than that of fishing in Alaska. all other US fishermen, reaching an average of 129 deaths per 100,000 fishermen per year. The reality television show "Deadliest Catch" gives its viewers a glimpse of the horrific conditions experienced by these men. Alaska is attempting to address these safety concerns. AMSEA is a non-profit organization whose mission is to reduce injury and death in the marine and freshwater environment through education and training provided by a network of qualified marine safety instructors.