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Over-fishing, not climate change, is greatest danger to world's oceans
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by Amy Judd | September 11, 2008 at 09:43 am
1843 views | 32 Recommendations | 21 comments
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threatened by over fishing our oceans - pacific white sided dolphins
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The biggest threat to our world's oceans, is not climate change, but over fishing and our ever increasing demand for water.
An new study actually released yesterday, which involved 100 top aquatic ecologists, looks at the world's water-based ecosystems and the effect our increasing demand is having on them.
The state of the world's oceans has been of much concern recently, particularly the affect of increasing temperatures on marine life as global warming takes hole.
However the research, led by Professor Nicholas Polunin of Newcastle University, found man's serious impact on aquatic life will happen long before climate change takes full effect.
He said: "Across the 21 different ecosystems we have looked at, direct human actions have long been exceeding - and will long continue to exceed - the effects of climate change in almost every case.
"That is not to say that climate change isn't happening or is unimportant.
"Coral reefs are threatened by oceanic warming and the release of carbon frozen and buried in wetlands has major implications for the Earth.
"But the demise of fish stocks through fishing and decline of rivers through excessive off-take are just two dramatic examples of how people are directly changing aquatic ecosystems and threatening the natural services that they deliver."
Fishing for fish like the bluefin tuna should be banned according to the report, and sanctuaries should be created to save all the endangered species.
The report stresses that this is a problem mankind may not realize until it is too late and by then the whole ecosystem will be out of balance and there will be nothing we can do anymore.
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Most RecentMost Recommended Comments (21)
at 10:01 on September 11th, 2008
Mankind is changing the whole planet. Instead of using the intelligence to get a better relationship with the environment, it's using it to destroy it.
Meanwhile, the leaders of our countries seem that they don't realize what is happening...what is it for the G-8?
at 01:51 on November 15th, 2008
I feel that pain too. felgab, but since I began research into the theory of Resource Rent, also known as Land Value Tax or Single Tax, my perspective on human history has done a complete flip. For decades I've been studying history - USA, China, Australia, and Ireland, in that order, and I have come to the insight that humanity is about to make a significant breakthrough in consciousness, which will make it impossible to justify selfishness. We have learned compassion and loving kindness, and now we are working on mechanisms that will work for everyone. The planet does belong to all living beings, after all. There is an economic philosophy / theory which supports this view, known as classical economics. I like to refer people to Professor Mason Gaffney www.masongaffney.org and Fred Harrison www.renegadeeconomist.com for a valuable introduction to this history. Meanwhile I have just established a new channel on NP –Geonomics, under Environment, where we hope to find find relevant articles.
To answer your question re. G8, we now have the G20, meaning there are 20 countries represented. I think Fred Harrison gives the best explanation regarding the G20 agenda, on NP here
at 09:59 on September 11th, 2008
amyjudd, I like this story. It's good stuff. Canada could do a lot more to protect its fish stocks. Most Canadians are unaware that fishing boats called bottom trawlers scour the sea bed to scare up fish into nets operate off our coast. This and other non sustainable fishing will sieve the oceans clean in a few years.
at 10:02 on September 11th, 2008
amyjudd, I like this story. It's good stuff. Obviously!
at 10:14 on September 11th, 2008
Over-population is the world's greatest danger. But don't advocate birth control, don't advocate abstinence, someone will jump down your throat about it.
at 11:26 on September 11th, 2008
Rene you are right Overpopulation, soon 10bn people, has to be regulated in Developping countries. 1 child per Family like in china. No other way
at 14:28 on September 11th, 2008
China definately has seen benefits from their policies about population control, but it doesn't seem to be that simple. With the balance of population comes lots of other domestic issues such as massive abortion rates and even abductions. There is a reason most of the children adopted from China are girls, women don't carry on the family name, and remove money from the family rather than bring it in. A lot more social issues and historical norms need to be solved before implementing drastic population control policies. Not many past civilizations had to deal with an uneven balance of men and women.
at 14:39 on September 11th, 2008
Doesn't stop the Chinese men from buying tiger parts to improve their virility tho. Nor has it stopped their population from exploding.
at 14:43 on September 11th, 2008
I agree that is is definitely about over-population in all parts of the world. There just isn't enough stocks of fish and animals for food to sustain the growing world anymore. I can't see a way out of it at all.
at 15:23 on September 11th, 2008
>Nor has it stopped their population from exploding.
China will be interesting to watch. They are aging. Getting to be an old population and will be facing the problem of how to support everybody when they are all retired.
at 05:36 on October 18th, 2008
I have noted there are three or four remarks about China.
Did not note the more girls thing when I have visited China I am sure I would being a man.
This old and balance thing as been used by anti-birth control people, I also did not notice more old age people than young in China.
But of course I did not count and perhaps my opinion may not count, lol
As far as I know China has its population in check and its not expanding, however here in the Philippines its expanding due to lack of really needed birth countrol of course this is due to some old foggies sitting in the Vatican thinking they know best. Yet the catholic priests dont go forth to multiply, lol (ops some do and some can't as they study a different menu as the event of nature made them that way).
But please note be carefull what you read and hear about China as there is a load of western propaganda issued especially from the american government. This is the same with Russia.
at 01:27 on November 15th, 2008
As someone who feels a deep enthrallment with Chinese cultural heritage, I enjoyed your excellent observations! Thank you ! ..... :) and, of course, I prefer to lol too
at 11:23 on September 11th, 2008
amyjudd, I like this story. It's good stuff. small correction from solarlife "Over-fishing and climate change, is greatest danger to world's oceans " One example Mediteranenan sea: quality fish disappears with risng water temp and shock heating by UV rays (Ozone layer deplation). What comes instead Baracudas, we never had them here and 25 other new fish. The overfishing in the French region from Sete, how is it possible? The Japanese buy the french trawlers over middle men and overfish for Thuna in Europe for Japan.
at 15:06 on September 11th, 2008
You can see what the problem is by the responses here.
How do you get the farmers and homeowners to cut down (or out) their feertilizing (all kinds) to keep it from running off downstream and causing massive algae blooms that kill off estuaries and fish stock?
How do you tell the city that built a reservoir that - no matter what its supply problems are - a sufficient flow has to be maintained to flush out and oxygenate coastal waters?
When a trawler captain can't make payments on the boat or home or pay the crew, fish conservation is not the first thing that leaps to mind.
This does not even cover fish and shellfish "farming", plastics int he ocean, oil and petrochemical spills, marine trash, recreational fishing and whatever effects are brought about by global warming.
at 16:49 on September 11th, 2008
amyjudd, I like this story. It's good stuff.
at 17:54 on September 11th, 2008
amyjudd, I like this story. It's good stuff.
at 04:58 on September 13th, 2008
Sadly we are frittering our chances at a crucial time.
Our politicians and industry captains have been a collective disaster and we, the people, have to do more than mark a ballot paper every few years - we have to maintain continued pressure for enlightened directions.
As our resources diminish there will be a distinct prospect of conflict as the scant resources are captured by the rich and powerful. We are seeing the early signs already. Out of desperation people will rise up in anger and turn the World into chaos.
We have to do more than sit on the sidelines and wring our hands - it is time for collective action.
at 06:25 on October 18th, 2008
at 20:50 on October 19th, 2008
amyjudd, I like this story. It's good stuff.
at 08:22 on November 2nd, 2008
help put a stop to overfishing it is becomeing a danger to our oceans!!!!! i am doing a project on it and this article will definatley help me!
at 20:43 on November 14th, 2008
This morning I received an email from a friend who is sailing around the world. This is what he has to say about the eastern Pacific rim.
" Our loop through the Philippines earlier this year was very depressing. Even in places where there was not a lot of garbage in the water and the water was clear, there was very little sealife, only dead coral barrens with urchins and starfish. The place is so poor, so corrupt, with a handful of families controlling all the money, and everyone else trying to keep it together from day to day. And it could be beautiful. In my 6 crossings of the South China Sea, and time off shore of Malaysia, we see lots of garbage in the water, and underwater off the resort islands of east Malaysia, while the water is fairly clear and there's still a variety of marine life to see, there's also a growth of green algae, beginning to intrude into the coral, likely indicative of sewage content in the water. I'm told by one of my marine biologist friends that the large schools of hammerheads, giant manta rays and whale sharks we used to dive with in central Sea of Cortez (1970s-80s) are long-gone due to Japanese factory ships. All very depressing."