Did you ask me for a fish report today? Haha I didn't think so, but it's what I start with. More specifically, I am here to tell you about the decline in fish species world-wide. According to a paper published in the Journal of Science, the variety of species of fish in the world's oceans has dropped by as much as 50% in the last 50 years.
A combination of over fishing (though this is the main reason for lost species) habitat destruction and climate change has narrowed the range of fish across the world. Here are some of the disclosures given un the report.
1) In certain areas, in particular off northwest Australia, the decline has been tremendous.
2) On average the person who throws out a fishing line today catches 5 species of dish. Fifty years ago the same line would have caught about 10 varieties.
3) There are only five spots on earth that still have the same wide variety of species as 50 years ago. They are, the east coast of Florida, south of Hawaii, near Australia's Great Barrier Reef, off Sri Lanka and in the South Pacific.
4) Over fishing is what is mainly depleting the decline. The report says it is the best way to prevent more loss. Climate changes (global warming?) have caused some species to leave water that is now either too warm or too cool. Most species like medium temperatures.
5) Tuna and bill fish are indicators of wider ocean diversity. They are disappearing everywhere and being replaced by predators like snake mackerel and stingrays.
The committee report recommendation is to institute an international ban on fishing in ecologically valuable waters and a general policy for setting up protected areas in the ocean, much as there are land preserves. Is this likely to happen? I would doubt it in a world that seems to agree only on disagreeing. Hehe By the way..did you eat fish for dinner last night?
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