World must protect oceans
A SHADE over a quarter of a quadrillion rand is all you need to buy the world ’ s oceans, but it is a depreciating asset unless action is taken fast.
The World Wildlife Fund, with the Global Change Institute at the University of Queensland and The Boston Consulting Group have valued the world ’ s oceans at $24-trillion.
However, in a report titled Reviving the Ocean Economy, the WWF points to collapsing fisheries, mangrove deforestation and disappearing corals and seagrass as threatening marine ecosystems and the livelihoods of millions around the world.
“The ocean rivals the wealth of the world ’ s richest countries, but it is being allowed to sink to the depths of a failed economy, ” said WWF International ’ s Marco Lambertini.
Researchers came up with a value for the world ’ s oceans by evaluating seven assets associated with the seas, these being fisheries, mangrove forests, coral reefs, sea grass, shipping lanes, productive coastlines and carbon dioxide absorption.
The report found that more than twothirds of the annual value of the ocean relied on healthy conditions to maintain its annual economic output.
In South Africa, said John Duncan of WWF ’ s Marine Programme, the oceans are facing over fishing, the invasion of alien species and the depletion of corals, which some believe will disappear by 2050 because of warming water. Some fish species, he said, had fallen to 10% of pre-fished stock levels.
South Africa had, however, established 24 marine protected areas, which Duncan said was a positive move.
“The ocean
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