Our ecosystem of Marine Life has never been perfect, but it has slowly gotten worse over time and will only continue to do so. Although Aquaculture, also known as fish farming, has significantly helped increase our fish population, environmental effects such as pollution and Carbon Dioxide have helped fill our oceans and seas with harmful gases and chemicals. Even with fish farming, overfishing is still a large issue that is waiting to be addressed. If not now, it will be too late to take a stand to help improve the lives of so many of our oceanic animals. Our oceans will slowly start to become uninhabitable at this current rate. We cannot wait on change forever. We must act on this issue today. Our oceans are in danger because of us, and we will certainly not want to know its effects in the future.

 Overfishing occurs when more fish are taken out of a habitat than can be replaced by natural reproduction. It is a big threat to our oceans as it greatly depletes our fish populations. By overfishing we are essentially endangering many of our species of fish, and a continuation of this would mean that these populations would soon deplete.

 In the long run, overfishing is a problem that proves difficult to improve for fisheries as well as fishermen, whose main source of income is catching fish. A general rule is that what you take from the ocean you must also replenish. However it can often take long amounts of time for certain areas to become repopulated with fish. So many jobs call for catching as many fish as possible, and in result many sidestep this rule in attempts to increase profit and to remain employed. Many also only seem to worry about the next upcoming year and how they will continue to maintain profit, let alone the next fifty. Scientists are saying that by 2048 all of our fisheries will collapse, and all these countries that depend on fish as an economic benefit will be in jeopardy. It will be the decline of one our main sources of food. What none of us realize is that the cost of our actions today is not going to better our life in the future. With the way we are currently overfishing our marine life, we can’t expect to always have an abundance of fish in our oceans.

Ocean pollution is the spreading of harmful substances, as well as agricultural waste into our oceans. Common pollutants are plastics and oils and generally enter the oceans because they are littered or in the case of oil, spilled. A lot of pollutants can also be pushed into the water by heavy winds.  

  One of the main issues contributing to the decline of our marine life is pollution. Pollution in the last few years has greatly increased, and it is estimated that there are currently 5 million tons of plastic in our oceans and seas. It is expected that 8 million tons of plastic is to be added yearly. According to the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, by the middle of the next century the sea might contain more plastic than fish.

  One of the biggest methods of pollution is known as point source pollution. Over 80% of pollution comes from land, and point source is a big contributor. Point source pollution occurs as a result of runoff, for instance, after land has been plowed, the exposed soil makes its way down to the sea or the ocean due to rainfall. This runoff soil that is dragged into the sea, and more often than not contains lots of agricultural fertilizers and pesticides. Millions of motor vehicles daily lose small amounts of oil, dripping onto roads and parking lots. This oil will regrettably make its way to our oceans and seas.

 Another type of dangerous pollution is carbon dioxide, which has also created significant damage to our marine life. Carbon dioxide affects our oceans when it is absorbed by water. It heats the water up, and reacts with seawater to form carbonic acid. Carbonic acid greatly increases the acidity of the water, making it harder for the creation of coral. Coral is an important source of our ecosystem as it provides homes for many of our sea creatures. The acidity of the water can also make it harder for shellfish to build the shells needed to protect themselves. Carbonic acid is something that we really need to try and get taken out of our oceans.

To help put a stop to what we are doing to our oceans we can reduce energy use, use reusable products, reduce the use of fertilizer and organize beach cleanups. Many organizations such as Oceana have been created, and are helping restore our waters. Oceana was founding to help protect our oceans on a global scale. They are dedicated to achieve measurable change by conducting science based campaigns. Since being founded Oceana has helped protect over 3.5 million square miles of our oceans.

 Our Marine Life is suffering, and we need to make a change before it is too late. Our earth does so much for us, and we need to try our hardest to protect it. Our oceans provide us with an abundance of food, as well as create for us so many jobs and places to work. This is our planet, it helps support and sustain us. We need to pay back the favor and start protecting our earth. We need to wake up and start protecting our world.

“We Asked Twelve Ocean Experts How to Save the Seas.” Popular Science, 10 May 2011.

“Getting Serious about Overfishing.” The Economist, The Economist Newspaper, 26 May 2017.