• Currently our Oceans are facing the following major problems:
  • Over Fishing
  • Predation of Top predators
  • Ocean Acidification
  • Coral Bleaching
  • Ocean Dead Zone
  • Heavy metal Pollution
  • Plastic Pollution

Over Fishing

• Overfishing has serious impacts on our oceans.
• It can wipe out entire species and harm other marine animals that depend on them for survival.
• Overfishing causes marine animals to starve by taking too much food from their mouths.
• Long-term fishing bans are necessary for some species to recover.
• Destructive fishing methods, such as bottom trawling, harm seafloor habitats and cause unwanted species to be caught and discarded.
• Overfishing pushes many species to the brink of being threatened or endangered.
• The main reason for overfishing is the increasing demand for seafood.
• Seafood is being promoted for its health benefits, which is contributing to the demand for it.

Predation of Top predators

• Tens of millions of sharks are killed each year, mainly for their fins.
• Sharks are caught, their fins are cut off, and they are thrown back into the ocean to die.
• The fins are sold for soup, creating a significant amount of waste.
• Sharks are top predators with a slow reproduction rate, so overfishing severely impacts their populations.
• As top predators, sharks also help regulate the numbers of other species in the ecosystem.
• Overfishing of sharks can cause other species to overpopulate their habitat, creating a destructive cycle in the ecosystem.
• Whaling is also a major problem, pushing the population of blue whales to the brink.

Ocean Acidification

• Ocean acidification is a significant problem caused by the absorption of CO2 by the ocean.
• Burning fossil fuels is causing the ocean’s pH balance to drop rapidly, which is affecting life within the ocean.
• Ocean acidification is happening faster than ever before in the history of the earth.
• The current levels of pCO2 in the ocean are comparable to those from 35 million years ago.
• The pH of ocean water is basic, around 8.1 on average.
• With ocean acidification, the pH is decreasing slightly, but it has not yet dropped below 7.
• If the pH drops below 7, it would be impossible for anything to survive in the ocean.
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Coral Bleaching

• Coral bleaching occurs when corals expel the algae known as zooxanthellae, which live in the tissues of the coral in a symbiotic relationship.
• Zooxanthellae provide about 90% of the energy of the coral and are responsible for the coral’s yellow or reddish-brown colors.
• Changes in conditions such as temperature, light, or nutrients can cause corals to expel their symbiotic algae, turning them completely white – this is called coral bleaching.
• The loss of pigment-producing zooxanthellae causes the pale white color of the coral’s translucent tissues of calcium carbonate to become visible.
• Corals can recover if the stress-caused bleaching is not severe.
• Coral bleaching has occurred regularly in the Caribbean, Indian, and Pacific oceans.
• When a coral bleaches, it does not die, but it comes close to it. However, some corals may survive the experience and recover once the sea surface temperature returns to normal levels.
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Ocean Dead Zone

• Dead zones are areas in the ocean where there is not enough oxygen to support life.
• Global warming is a likely cause of the shifts in ocean behavior that lead to dead zones.
• There are currently over 400 known dead zones in the world’s oceans, and the number is expected to increase.
• Crop biodiversity on land may help prevent dead zones in the ocean by reducing the use of fertilizers and pesticides that contribute to dead zone formation.
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Heavy metal Pollution

• Mercury is a dangerous pollutant in ocean water that ends up in our food.
• It is increasing and most coastal countries are facing mercury poisoning.
• Mercury has a long shelf life and can bioaccumulate, making it more dangerous.
• Coal-based thermal power plants are the main source of mercury in water.
• The Minamata convention aims to reduce the use and production of mercury.

Plastic Pollution

• Large masses of plastic are swirling in the ocean. A giant patch of plastic soup the size of Texas sitting smack dab in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.
• Many large fishes are choking on plastics. Plastic bags are ingested by the fishes and they get set in the digestive tract. This does not leave any space for the food and fishes die due to starvation.
• Most of the plastic is finding its way to the ocean through drains and rivers.
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