Endangered Seafood Supply by 2048
The November 3rd 2006 issue of the journal Science reported that in as early as 2048, we could be facing the loss of seafood due to overfishing and pollution. Environmental stresses, including global warming and destruction of habitat, add to the challenges faced by marine animals in survival.
“We really see the end of the line now,” said lead author Boris Worm, a marine biologist at Canada’s Dalhousie University. “It’s within our lifetime. Our children will see a world without seafood if we don’t change things.”
However, The National Fisheries Institute disputes these findings as an exaggeration. They said that, for the most part, sustainable fishing and aquaculture or farmed fishing are currently working hand-in-hand in supplying the present demand for seafood. This is at least true for the United States. They said that fluctuation in fish populations should be taken into account.
The researchers said the loss of so many species is eroding the viability of marine ecosystems and their ability to resist environmental stresses. In 12 marine ecosystems surveyed, they found that a decline in biodiversity of 50 percent or more cut the number of viable fisheries by 33 percent, reduced nursery habitats by 69 percent and cut the ocean’s capacity to filter and detoxify contaminants by 63 percent.
Even the loss of one species has a great impact on biodiversity and the food chain, causing an imbalance in the ecosystem. The repercussions are too great to be ignored. Even if the United States takes precaution in maintaining the sea surrounding them, abuse from other parts of the world can still cause havoc causing a ripple effect. What can we do about this?
