Restoration of Oceans to save Mother Earth

“How inappropriate to call this planet Earth when it is clearly Ocean”

- Arthur C Clarke

In 1968, The Undersea World of Jacques Cousteau was aired on televisions around the world including India during the early eighties. I remember watching it every Sunday religiously for sheer pleasure of seeing awesome sea creatures and their behavior. Honestly speaking, environmental aspect was never in my thoughts those days.  However, by that time the abundance of large marine mammals in the world’s oceans was already much less than what it had been just 100 years earlier. Alexandra Cousteau, Jacques Cousteau’s granddaughter, was just a kid in the 1980s when the first campaigns to conserve and sustain marine life were launched. Yet in her lifetime the losses within our oceans have only continued and would most likely reach a point of no return if serious efforts are not made to restore the balance in the oceans. Put simply, the oceans are key to the future of our planet and its health. But, today the oceans need our help. Saving the oceans can sometimes feel like an overwhelming task, but if we all pitch in, we can make a big difference.

Oceans cover more than two thirds of Earth’s surface. They are home to millions of species, provide a key source of protein to people on every continent, and play an enormous role in regulating our planet’s climate, water cycle and more. They also are facing tremendous disruption from human action, from altered temperature and circulation to overfishing to acidification to plastic pollution. What kind of oceans will we pass along to future generations of humans and other living things? The answer to that question starts with two others: What kind of oceans would we like to pass along? And what would it take to do so?

Our planet is a complex dynamic system of interactions among the atmosphere, ocean, land surface, snow and ice, and all life on Earth. In that planetary clockwork, the ocean is a key cog. It drives heat, water and nutrients around the globe. It maintains essential ecosystems. In short, it makes our planet habitable. We know the oceans are changing rapidly. They are warming, becoming more acidic and losing sea ice. Sea levels are rising. They are overfished and more polluted by chemicals and noise like never before. These changes will have impacts on agriculture, fisheries, water, food, energy supplies, coastal infrastructure, transportation, and natural disasters such as tsunamis and extreme weather — all of which profoundly affect our economy, health, welfare and security. According to Alexandra Cousteau, explorer, filmmaker and water advocate and also the granddaughter of renowned undersea explorer Jacques Cousteau, her vision for the oceans in 2050 is one of abundance, diversity, purity. While most predictions point to a darker future for the oceans, she does believe that it is possible to have more fish, sea turtles, dolphins, whales and sharks in our lifetimes. But we have to start acting now. Scientists report that the amount of fish caught began declining for the first time in recorded history just a few decades ago. That’s obviously bad news, but most importantly it is also recent news. If we take action quickly we can have a huge effect on helping the oceans rebound. The oceans are a shared resource covering 71 percent of the planet. They play a central role in the world’s natural systems, like regulating our climate and absorbing carbon dioxide. Over a billion people, including some of the poorest in the world, depend on the oceans and wild seafood for survival. Restoring abundance to the world’s fisheries is important not only for the planet but also for the people who live on it. To that end, actions have to be taken with the international organizations to tackle these issues by focusing on the importance of science in identifying problems and solutions. All of us need to do our part. We are all stewards of the ocean and the planet. We must continue to explore. We must continue to study the things we don’t yet understand and protect the resources we have for future generations. It’s easy to be pessimistic about the future of the world’s oceans. The 20th century lay to rest myths that the oceans were so vast and their living resources so huge that human activities could never make a significant impact. Instead, we saw destruction in the stocks of the great whales, the collapse of numerous fisheries as more fishing vessels poured onto the seas with increasingly sophisticated technologies, and the creation of dead zones as industrial effluents smothered and poisoned previously rich, productive waters. The latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report offers little reassurance. Half of all carbon dioxide emissions since 1750 came in the last 40 years with oceans absorbing 90 percent of the resulting heat energy, setting in temperature rises and ocean acidification that will continue for decades even if emissions ceased tomorrow. At current rates, shallow water tropical coral reefs will have vanished by 2050 along with a myriad of species and food for millions of people.

How do we go about restoring our oceans and seas? According to Douglas McCauley, Ecologist and Conservation Biologist, UC Santa Barbara, the decisions we make in the next several decades will more profoundly shape the future of the ocean than any other period in human history. In a recent report, it was revealed that the oceans are in vastly better shape than terrestrial ecosystems. This makes sense: humans are a terrestrial species and historically it has been harder for us to hunt, farm and build in the ocean. But things are changing. We must address three major challenges in the next 30 years if we wish to preserve the health and wildness of our global oceans.

1.     Marine Industrialization-A marine industrial revolution (alternatively called an emerging blue economy) is welling up in our oceans and represents a dramatic shift in the way we do marine business. Historically we went to sea to fish. By 2050, we are poised to see massive expansions in marine industries like seabed mining, underwater power plant construction (e.g., offshore wind, tidal energy) and oil/gas extraction. On land when we shifted from hunting animals to building our industries in their habitats, we saw a major spike in wildlife extinction. If we don’t carefully plan out marine industrialization, we may face a similar fate for ocean wildlife.

2.     Fishing vs. farming in the oceans-The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) predicts that in less than 20 years fish farming will put more fish on our tables than wild-capture fisheries. We have to carefully ensure this explosive growth in ocean farming happens in a clean, healthy and sustainable manner. In parallel to this growth in aquaculture, we must redouble our efforts to be sure that wild fisheries can continue to provide healthy free-range fish by setting aside ocean protected areas and coming up with novel solutions for managing the lawlessness associated with fishing in many settings (e.g., the high seas).

3.     Ocean climate change- None of these actions will have purchase if we don’t slow the rates by which we are warming and acidifying the oceans. Many marine species have demonstrated a very encouraging capacity for adaptation to climate stressors. Anything we can do to slow carbon emissions will buy them time to adapt.

 

By squarely facing the urgency of the situation in the oceans and prudently managing these new forces of change, we can chart a brighter future for life in the oceans and can avoid making many of the environmental mistakes we made on land. Oceans are like the heartbeat of our planet. They connect us across continents, regulate our climate, supply us with oxygen and serve as the foundation of ecosystems for an incredible array of wildlife. More than 200 million people depend on the oceans for their livelihood and another 3 billion rely on it for nutrition, making oceans crucial to our very existence. But our oceans are under enormous pressure. Fishing in a sustainable manner is critical to the health of this vast natural resource.

Mangroves, sea grasses and coral reefs are the major tropical coastal ecosystems of the world having profound connectivity. Mangroves forests and sea-grass meadows are the coastal ecosystems of intense nutrient cycling, whereas the coral reef areas are poor in nutrients and hence, the nutrient-rich coastal systems supply nutrients to adjacent coral reefs. The mangroves and sea-grass provide nursery grounds for many faunal species, while the coral reefs provide habitat for them. The mangroves protect sea-grass beds and coral reefs from landward discharges and sedimentations, while the coral reefs also protect the other systems by buffering ocean currents and dissipating wave action. The successful connectivity between the three ecosystems is vital for fishery resources, nutrient balance and mitigation of climate change. Hence, the interactions between the ecosystems are not only the state of the biodiversity enrichment but also the flow nutrient and energy. The deleterious effect of any one ecosystem will directly or indirectly affect the other ecosystems. It is a matter of necessity to conserve coastal ecosystems simultaneously in order to ensure a better goods and ecosystem services. Propagation and enrichment of mangrove ecosystem is easier than that of sea-grasses and coral reefs and hence, development and diversification of mangrove system is recommended for multiple ecosystem management.  Mangroves and sea grasses stabilize the sediments, slow down the water movements and trap the heavy metals and nutrient rich runoff, thus improving the water quality for corals and fish communities. They also enhance the biomass of coral reef fishes by providing nursery habitats. Coral reefs, in turn, stabilize the seascape by buffering ocean currents and dissipating wave action and favour the colonization of mangroves and sea grasses.

 

The oceans have been exploited by humans for centuries, but the negative impacts of our involvement have only become clear over the last 50 years or so. Over the last few decades, the growing influence of climate change has bleached corals, and seen the ocean's acidity increase. The researchers have identified nine components that are key to rebuilding the oceans: salt marshes, mangroves, sea-grasses, coral reefs, kelp, oyster reefs, fisheries, mega fauna and the deep ocean. The scientists recommend a range of actions that are required including protecting species, harvesting wisely and restoring habitats.

 

Can anyone describe how humankind has been testing the limits of the oceans?

According to Conservationist and scientist, Sylvia Earle, “it comes in two areas primarily — what we put into the sea and what we allow to flow from the land, the toxic materials that we put in our fields, our farms or backyards, golf courses, streets. It flows inexorably into the sea. There are consequences. We have changed the chemistry of the ocean — not just what goes from the land directly, but what we put into the sky that moves into the sea. Most worrisome now is excess carbon dioxide. Parallel with that is what we are taking out of the ocean. Even now some believe that actually the ocean is limitless in its capacity to yield whatever we want to take. But we should have learned with whales. We should have learned with wildlife on the land that we have the power — through both our numbers and our technologies — to be able to find, kill, extract and market, to decimate, anything that swims in the ocean. They are wild creatures. We treat the natural world, historically, as our big larder. It’s definitely not infinitely renewable. Those dwindling assets have been so depleted that we really need to step back and restore and protect what remains. There are limits to what we can do to the planet without dire consequences to us. We need a great deal more in the way of exploration, of doing the calculations, but it is simple. This is a no-brainer. Fish, for that matter, every living thing, is a carbon container. By extracting millions of tons of ocean wildlife, it’s like clear-cutting forests. You have removed the carbon-based units. But this destruction of the great ocean food web, the destruction of the habitats in the sea, the dredging, the trawling, that alters these finely tuned systems that have developed over literally hundreds of millions of years. We call it the great green engine that generates oxygen and takes up carbon dioxide at a point that is just right for life. But our actions in just a little slim period of time have so altered the nature of nature. You have to think pretty hard about what we are doing and change our ways. And part of it relates to what we are doing to the sea, what we are taking out — the carbon based units that we are removing and the structure of the ecosystem in the seas that holds the planet steady.”

What can we do as ordinary citizens towards restoration of oceans and seas? I believe if we take care of small things in daily life, big things will fall in place itself. Here are some lifestyle choices that – when adopted – can help protect and restore our oceans for future generations.

 

1.  Demand plastic free alternatives- The oceans face a massive and growing threat from plastics. An estimated 17.6 billion pounds of plastic leaks into the marine environment from land-based sources every year—that’s roughly equivalent to dumping a garbage truck full of plastic into our oceans every minute. And plastics never go away! We must urge companies to provide consumers with plastic-free alternatives and say no to single use plastics such as straws, plastic cutlery, coffee cups, water bottles, plastic bags, balloons, plastic-wrapped produce and take-out food containers.

 

2. Reduce your carbon footprint- Carbon dioxide, a known greenhouse gas, is making our oceans more acidic. This is contributing to the loss of corals on a global scale as their calcium skeletons are weakened by the increasing acidity of the water. You can reduce your carbon footprint by adopting some of these simple measures:

• Ride a bike, walk or use public transportation rather than driving a car.

• Turn off the lights when you leave a room.

• Put on a sweater in the winter instead of turning up your thermostat.

• Have some fun with your diet – buy sustainably caught wild seafood. It is a renewable resource that requires minimal fresh water to produce and emits less carbon dioxide than land-based proteins like beef.

 

3. Avoid ocean harming products- There are many products directly linked to harming endangered or threatened species, unsustainable fishing methods and pollution. For example, avoid cosmetics that contain shark squalene, jewellery made of coral or sea turtle shell, souvenir shells of conchs, nautiluses and other animals, and single-use plastics like straws and water bottles that can end up in our oceans. These products support unsustainable fishing and threaten important species and ecosystems.

 4. Eat sustainable seafood- Choose seafood that is healthy for you and the oceans from well-managed, wild fisheries. We know it’s hard to know what fish are okay to eat, but, in these days of internet information network, it is easy to download a guide to sustainable seafoods.

5. Vote on ocean and environmental issues- Electing public representatives who support good environmental and ocean policies can help us protect marine life and our oceans. Do your research on candidates and make an informed decision, then exercise your right (and responsibility) to vote. And don’t let Election Day be the last time they hear from you. Follow up with your candidates and elected officials regularly to remind them of policies you care about.

 

 6. Leave nothing behind- As beach crowds increase, so does the amount of trash left behind or blown away. Don’t let your day outside contribute to the destruction of our oceans. Remember to leave nothing behind but your footprints -- collect and dispose of your trash.

 

7. Explore the oceans- Jacques-Yves Cousteau quoted “People protect what they love.” Get outside and explore the oceans around you!.  If you don’t live near the ocean, visit your local lake or river to learn how your watershed connects to the ocean. There are plenty of online opportunities to explore the oceans, too. Dive into Oceana’s Marine Life Encyclopedia to read fun and interesting facts about all kinds of animals from sharks and seals to octopuses and clownfish.

 

I would like to quote one of the most inspiring quotes from renowned Environment-Marine Biologist, Dr. Sylvia Earle, who says “No Blue, No Green.” We should encourage every one of us to connect, or reconnect, with the world around us. To really think about where our products come from, and where they go, where our water and air comes from. Without the Ocean, we would not be here. Little organisms in the Ocean actually supply the oxygen for every other breath we breathe (50% of the world’s oxygen). When we reconnect, we have a great appreciation for how dependent we are on the Ocean, and a healthy Ocean at that. When we see ourselves as kin rather than owners of nature for human ends, then the relationship we have with the ocean transforms. Maybe then our behaviors will change, and we will become responsible stewards. So doing our part, whether it be reducing plastic use, creating marine protected areas, or reducing fishing pressure, not only conserves the Ocean and its right to exist, but our very existence as well. As we know there is “Earth’s Rights”, so there is also “Ocean Rights”. Ocean Rights means that the Ocean is a living being and entity that has inherent rights. These rights are specific to the Ocean, and its processes and functions. Most importantly, doing so addresses the root cause of our destructive relationship with the Ocean. We have historically valued the Ocean as an open access resource, which provides little incentive for us to invest in stewardship and conservation, and to consider future generations. Acknowledging the Ocean as our source of life rather than as property reinforces our responsibility to preserve and maintain Ocean health. Earth Law offers a way to hold ourselves accountable, and to shift the burden of proof to those wishing to undertake an extractive or exploitative activity.

 

Right now the future of the ocean is uncertain, which means our future is uncertain. With greater global investment in research, exploration and innovation, we can reduce uncertainties, improve projections about future conditions for our ocean and planet, and provide information that governments, resource managers, businesses and others can use to save lives, property and money, and to sustain the ocean as a resource. We can improve governance of the ocean and of the entire planetary commons — and help ensure our survival.

 

“We ourselves feel that what we are doing is just a drop in the ocean. But, the ocean would be less because of that missing drop.”- Mother Teresa