A Worldwithout Fish

THE CRUEL REALITY

There may be many reasons that contribute to the increasing scarcity of fish in the sea. Overfishing is one key factor. According to the

World Review of Fisheries and Aquaculture, at the end of 2004, the world fishing fleet consisted of about four million ships. These ships specialise in catching fish and can catch up to 1000 tonnes of fish a day, approximately the weight of 100 school buses! With such an immense quantity, is it any wonder that the stocks of the top ten species of marine fish, such as the Goliath Grouper and Blue Fin Tuna, are dwindling? Fish stocks are vital natural resources that need careful management. Yet, we are exhausting these resources without any consideration for the capabilities of the oceans

to allow the fish stocks to regenerate themselves. Another factor that has only recently caught the attention of scientists is the acidification of seawater owing to climate change. Acidification occurs when the oceans of the world absorb large amounts of carbon dioxide, changing the acidity balance of the water and making it unhealthy for marine life. The effect of acidification can be seen in the deterioration of coral reef ecosystems and marine scientists from Australia’s Queensland University predict that corals will decrease to less than five percent of what it is today, by the middle of this century. Corals provide shelter and support for a diverse number of sea creatures, including the clownfish and the jellyfish. Their survival is critical for the maintenance of a healthy coral reef ecosystem. is the falling levels of plankton. Plankton is a collective term for microscopic organisms that drift along on ocean currents. They include photosynthetic organisms

sale for rks Sha

The Blue Fin Tuna, a large marine fish in danger of extinction. A potentially bigger threat to fish stocks Clownfish can be found near corals such as these.