Trouble At Sea
What Are We Doing To The World's Oceans?



Photo by Diana Martin

          For centuries, mankind has been fascinated with the sea. Its sheer power and vastness inspired tales of harrowing adventures and giant sea creatures. In truth, the ocean IS vast, covering more than 70% of the planet's surface and it DOES have giant sea creatures like whales. Even after many years of study, the ocean still holds mysteries.

          Scientists belive that all life originated in the sea billions of years ago. Today, the ocean teems with more life than all the land areas combined. For mankind this environment is rich with valuable resources. The world's seas provide people with an abundant food/protein source. Man has also learned how to extract minerals such as iodine, iron, and magnesium from the ocean. Kelp harvesting has provided us with thickeners and binders. Other types of seaweed have been used as food. Seaweed can also be used in manufacturing medication.

          Unfortunately, the abundance and seemingly never ending supply of resources has been misleading. The actions of man have pushed the ocean's reserves to the limit. For years, we have been using the sea as a giant dumping ground. The waters are polluted with materials such as industrial waste, soil dredged from contaminated harbors, hazardous chemicals, sewage, radioactive wastes that are by-products from mining, research or medical activities, acid rain and daily oil spills.

1990 Oil Spill in Galveston Bay, Texas           Human overpopulation has also taken a toll on the health of the ocean. Almost one-half of the entire U. S. population live in coastal areas. This creates habitat loss for many of the ocean's creatures; as well as more garbage and more pollution finding its way into the waters these organisms depend upon for survival. Resorts, farm and city development destroy the coastline.

          One of the biggest threats to life in the ocean is overfishing. Mankind has been able to develop complex electronic technology, more efficient ships and much bigger nets. The ability to catch such an enormous number of fish is often faster than the fish's ability to reproduce. One example of a species very seriously depleted is the swordfish.

          This isn't the only problem with overfishing. Each year many other species die unintentionally by getting caught and drowning in drift nets (up to 40 miles long) or long lines. Here is an estimate of those killed every year in fishing gear as bycatch. These numbers are from the National Audubon Society Almanac of the Environment:           According to the World Wildlife Fund, there are 20-40 million tons of bycatch annually, which includes fish, birds, turtles and mammals. In a January 2001 "Earth Pulse" article in National Geographic, 68 tons of sailfish were hooked on longlines used in the Atlantic Ocean in 1996. Along with the sailfish, 227 tons of marlin also died as a result. Hundreds of leatherback turtles die accidentally in longlines used in the Pacific Ocean. This is especially TRAGIC because currently only 4,000 nesting turtles remain. Red snappers lose millions of their young in Gulf shrimpers nets annually. For this reason, they are depleted. Finally, Alaskan pollock (often used as imitation crabmeat) is already heavily fished. This has resulted in the Alaskan pollock being placed on the "Proceed with Caution" list. As with many other instances of human interference though, the results snowball through the environmental web. Not only is the population of Alaskan pollock at risk, but the Stellar sea lion, which is already on the "Endangered" list, relies on the pollock for their food. By reducing the pollock population, we are further endangering the Stellar sea lion.

          Your choices as a consumer have a profound effect on the health of the ocean and the species that live there. It is one problem that we can change by making wise decisions. Please read and follow this Seafood Watch Chart. It's endorsed and followed by the Monterey Bay Aquarium, and was compiled primarily through:

          For more on the oceans, please read the following articles:





Home          Web Services