Environmental Issues

Human Impact on the Sea
The ocean has been one of the most resourceful of all the natural resources man has ever encountered. But in the last couple of centuries human impact on the sea has been enormous and has led to other chain of changes, some of them may prove to be disastrous for the mankind. This paper will discuss the human impacts on the sea in the light of  The Economist  series articles.

The resources of the sea are always considered unending, whether it is the food supply or other natural resources the ocean seems to promise to the mankind. Mankind has always think of the ocean as indestructible and immune to their actions and deeds. So has been the case since the dawn of human civilization until the industrial revolution took place and it changed everything. It changed the way the humans ever laid their eyes on the natural resources of this planet. The industrial revolution increased the lust and hunger for the consumption of the natural resources of mother Earth, not ten or hundred, but thousand folds. The oceans were also not immune to human deeds any more.

Mankind has pillaged the sea ruthlessly and mercilessly in the last two centuries. Before the industrial revolution there was no population explosion, thus the need for the provision of proteins were also less intense. The 19th century brought the harbinger of doom to the ocean. Before that time the fishermen were only using conventional methods of fishing that they have been using for the last few millennia. But then came the steam-powered whaling ships in 1873, steam-powered trawlers in 1881, and otter trawler in 1892. These heavy machinery enabled the fishermen to kill their prey in amounts hundred folds than previously. Other inventions like filleting machines, echo-sounders, and spotter planes etc, which came in the 20th century increased the pillage and make the matter even worse. (Plenty more fish in the sea)

Though the most devastating pillage of the sea began only after the World War II, it was so extensive and was done with so vigor that soon the most precious of the fish like the Cod, Tuna and Salmon were gone or diminished so that it was difficult for them to sustain and retain their previous numbers. Use of deep sea fishing trawlers also destroyed seabed, which is the habitat of many species of fish. The most profound impact on the sea by the is the on going erosion of the coral reef due to algae and CO2. (Troubled Waters)

Other horrible changes brought by the mankind are the red tides, the algal blooms and the dead zones where only simple microscopic organisms can survive. Though many of these phenomena have been occurring naturally in the past, but their frequency has increased as well as their area has expanded. Another important and drastic change brought to the ocean is its rapid increase in acidity, thanks to the man made CO2 , which is a constant threat to the coral reef and all the shell bearing aquatic animals. (Troubled Waters)

Other harmful material which are also contaminating the marine resources are the oil spills by oil tankers, tons of plastic floating on the surface of the ocean mostly in the pacific, which is the primary cause of the death of many marine animals and birds like seagulls. Global warming, which is because of increased amount of CO2 in the atmosphere is also playing its role, as it will result in increase in glacial melting and rise in sea level, which would devastate near half population of the world living withing 100 km of the coast.

The authors of the recent series of  The Economist  articles also want to point out the emerging problems and catastrophes as a result of human influence on the ocean and its inhabitants.
Discussion of the article  Plenty More Fish in the Sea

In this  The Economist  article the author has discussed the arguments of both sides regarding the situation of the oceans. One side argues that the oceans are in grave danger and many of the mostly edible species of the fish are about to go for good. This is due to overfishing and that it will take at least a century or more for these fish to recover if fishing them is abandoned now. Papers published by many science and environmental magazines are given statistics and data which proves that this phenomenon is not limited to the North Atlantic, but on the contrary it is worldwide and many fisheries are about to disappear. Even some predict that all the fish which are sought by the mankind will be gone by 2048. (Plenty more fish in the sea)

Alarming these figures and predictions seem to many but others, mostly the fishermen are not impressed by these facts and figures and they have their own facts and figures to prove their side of the story. Mainly because fish seem to be as abundant as it has been through out the history. Even the most precious fish like the Cod are even not gone. Other fish like Salmon have become more plentiful because of latest farming methods applied. The number of fish caught now is many folds than the number of fish caught few decades ago. This assures the optimists that all the dooms day theories are unsubstantiated. (Plenty more fish in the sea After explaining both sides of the arguments the author further analyzes these arguments and asserts that the increase in the amount of fish caught is primarily because of improved methods and latest equipments, which enables fishermen to go far out in the ocean and catch fish residing in the depth of it. He argues that this increased the exploitation of the sea hundreds of times more and the bigger aquatic animals like whales, sharks and other predators were the first to go. Even shrimp like creatures krills are caught for medicines and fish farming thus disturbing the entire ecosystem and food chain.

Finally the author suggests that no species should be fished to the point that that renders the ecosystem unbalanced. The should be given a chance to grow up and become bigger and sustain their species.