Our oceans are under threat and, with it, our very existence

The oceans are our planet's life support system because, half the oxygen we breathe is produced by marine plankton and, one billion people depend on fish as their primary source of protein. And, these oceans are under threat and, experts have identified five main reasons for this phenomenon.
These are (i) sea temperature (ii) acidification (iii) plastics (iv) overfishing and (v) invasive species. This has been reported in news.sky.com dated 25 July 2016.

These are attributable to climate change, El Nino effect, pollution due to plastics, excess of fishing and invasion of new species into areas where they are not normally found. These cause degradation of the environment which could, in the long run, create survival problems for future generations.
It is, therefore, essential to realize the grave consequences and take corrective action at all levels so that mankind can continue to inhabit the Earth.


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org

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Malaysia to have a 1 million hectare marine park for coral reefs

Considering the ill effects of global warming and climate change on coral reefs, Malaysia has come up with a plan to try and improve the situation. Keeping in mind the coral bleaching phenomenon, Malaysia has decided to create its largest marine park that will cover 1 million hectares (2.47 million acres). It will be the Tun Mustapha park and it will be located off the coast of the Sabah province in Borneo. The area is home to some of the richest coral habitats in Malaysia. The area also has mangroves and sea grass beds.
This has been reported in zeenews.india.com dated 2 June 2016.

An interesting part of the project is that the park will be open to commercial fishing - this is because local residents depend upon fishing for a significant portion of their sustenance and, the intention behind creating the marine park is to manage fishing operations in a systematic way instead of banning them altogether.
The net result would be that commercial fishing operators and local residents can continue to fish in designated zones which were established in consultation with NGOs, the Malaysian park service, local communities and fishing operators themselves. In short, the establishment of Tun Mustapha Park will boost the conservation and biodiversity of this uniquely rich natural environment. Moreover, it would also help to ensure the sustainable management of the significant marine resources in the area that support jobs, livelihoods and food security.


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org

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