Going silent for sharks’ sake
Warming water causes global crisis, SA relatively sound
TODAY a number of individuals who are deeply concerned about the state of our oceans and safety of our marine life have spoken out against their decimation by humans, and will be showing their support at the “Silence of the Sharks” underwater protest taking place today at Scottburgh (Aliwal Shoal) and Shelley Beach (Protea Banks) on the South Coast.
Endorsed by Ugu South Coast Tourism, the biggest underwater protest ever held in South Africa will be carried out with the fifth annual “Paddle Out for Sharks” conservation platform.
All this will be for this year’s World Oceans Day on Wednesday. This year’s theme is “Healthy Oceans, Healthy Planet”, and places a strong emphasis on curbing illegal fishing trawlers in local waters.
The international Silence of the Sharks protest, initiated by underwater photographer and diver David Pilosof, started at the end of last year, following research that revealed that more than 100 million sharks were killed annually, placing the fish in serious danger of extinction.
Along with illegal fishing, pollution and sharks being killed as “by-catch” are some of the other reasons shark numbers are dwindling so drastically.
“Sharks are a part of nature, and there is a reason they are in our world,” said Melville Hollamby, owner of Viking Fishing Charter, a shark-friendly organisation that safely returns to the ocean any sharks mistakenly caught.
Likewise, Walter Bernadis from African Water Sports – who will be donating a boat on the day – has spoken out against the cruelty shown to sharks.
This view was reiterated by shark scientist Jess Escobar, who said one of the biggest threats to sharks in South African seas was illegal fishing.
The day’s events will start at 8am at Scottburgh Main Beach with a talk by Escobar.
CORAL on the reefs off the coast of South Africa are in Marine Protected Areas and lie deeper than most, which is positive in light of the bleaching in oceans around the world.
And from leading marine scientists to surfers, the crisis will remain a core focus area for World Oceans Day on June 8.
Marine scientist Dr Camilla Floros of the Oceanographic Research Institute – reef programme, based at uSshaka Marine World in Durban, said this week that its survey last month at the Sodwana main reef (Two Mile Reef) indicated an estimated 13 percent of coral had been bleached.
In 1998, 16 percent of the world’s oceans were killed in a global bleaching event, the second took place in 2010, and in October last year the third global bleaching event was confirmed as being under way – all of which may have been triggered by El Nino, but which, along with climate change, has resulted in mass bleaching.
“Eighty percent of the northern section of the Great Barrier Reef has been bleached. This is the longest global bleaching event and is expected to continue this year.
“Prior to 1998, there were no reports of global bleaching. It is not a natural phenomenon and is now considered by scientists to be the most visual indicator of climate change,” said Floros.
She said bleaching was caused by ocean warming.
“The warmer sea temperatures break down the symbiotic relationship between coral and algae. Many people do not realise that coral is an animal. In fact, it is thousands of little animals functioning together.
“It gets nutrition from the algae and it is the algae cells which provide the beautiful colour to the coral,” she said.
Once algae has disappeared, only the white tissue of the coral is left and it has lost the means to feed, leaving a ghostly pale structure which starves.
“They have incredible ability to create huge structures which in turn provide food and shelter for 25 percent of marine species. Without coral, we would lose those species.”
Apart from losing a quarter of marine species, this would obviously have a devastating ecological knock-on effect.
According to Floros, approximately 500 million people depend on coral reefs for their livelihood.
“Many coral reefs exist off the coast of developing countries in tropical areas and the fisheries in the coral provide a vital food source.”
Not only that, but the reefs also create a natural barrier or breakwater against ocean waves and coastal erosion. They also generate billions in revenue in tourism, while the relatively new trend of bioprospecting, in which new medicines are being sought from the oceans, would be negatively affected.
“If we lose that biodiversity, we will lose those potential cures,” said Floros.
Fortunately for South Africa, coral off our coastline is in a sub-tropical climate where temperatures are slightly lower than tropical regions and our coral lies deeper than normal, at around 10m. Most tropical reefs are only 1m or 2m below the surface.
Coral reproduces once a year, which is linked to the lunar cycle.
“The message on World Oceans Day is that people should be aware of climate change and how it is affecting our oceans.
“In South Africa, we have beautiful reefs and people can make a difference with small changes, such as reducing electricity usage, walking to the shops instead of driving. Plastic litter is also a huge problem,” she said.
The theme for this year is “Healthy Oceans, Healthy Planet” with particular focus on preventing further plastic pollution in the world’s oceans.