NPR had a segment tonight on a survey on the condition of the world's reef. According to the survey 75% of the planet's reefs are theatened and that by 2050 90% will be threatened. The major causes of our declining reefs are: poor fishing practices, where they use explosives and poisons to catch fish, factory and agricultural pollution, erosional runoff, and increase in greenhouse gases. Excess carbon from human emmissions is lowering the pH of the world's oceans and damaging corals. An estimated 1/3 of coral species are now considered threatened, making them the most at risk family of animals on the planet, surpassing even amphibians.
The good news, according to the survey, is that these trends are reversible if we choose to act on them. Things we can do are: eat seafood that is sustainably harvested using reef friendly means of havesting, tell our politicians to stop gutting enviromental regulations, and making sure the animals we buy for the hobby we love are captive propagated, or bought from vendors with a good reputation. It is nice to get things cheap, but cheap often comes at a high price on the enviroment. I believe that we, as reef hobbists, have a duty to help preserve the ocean's reefs we have come to adore for their beauty and complexity. I also think that when we share our tanks with others that we can tell them about this fragile habitat and help bring the message to new people. We owe it to the world's reefs to give back what we have so richly received from them. Here is the link http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20110224/sc_afp/sciencewarmingoceansenvironment
Spread the word,
Aethia
The good news, according to the survey, is that these trends are reversible if we choose to act on them. Things we can do are: eat seafood that is sustainably harvested using reef friendly means of havesting, tell our politicians to stop gutting enviromental regulations, and making sure the animals we buy for the hobby we love are captive propagated, or bought from vendors with a good reputation. It is nice to get things cheap, but cheap often comes at a high price on the enviroment. I believe that we, as reef hobbists, have a duty to help preserve the ocean's reefs we have come to adore for their beauty and complexity. I also think that when we share our tanks with others that we can tell them about this fragile habitat and help bring the message to new people. We owe it to the world's reefs to give back what we have so richly received from them. Here is the link http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20110224/sc_afp/sciencewarmingoceansenvironment
Spread the word,
Aethia
