Ocean wealth is under threat from a variety of factors, resulting in degradation and economic losses . Some of the major threats and their impacts include:
- Pollution: Marine pollution, especially plastic, is reaching extreme levels, with millions of metric tons entering the ocean each year . This pollution harms marine life, with plastic being particularly dangerous to fish, seabirds, sea turtles, and marine mammals through entanglement and ingestion .
- Overfishing: Overfishing has had a major impact on marine biodiversity in the last 50 years, with a significant percentage of fish stocks being overfished . Overfishing can also impact other marine life that interact with fishing vessels, such as sharks and rays .
- Climate Change: The ocean absorbs a significant amount of CO2 emissions and excess heat, leading to ocean warming and acidification . Ocean acidification threatens the survival of marine life and disrupts the food web . Increasing ocean heat is causing marine heatwaves, threatening ecosystems and coral reefs .
- Habitat Destruction: Tourism, if not carefully managed, can pose a major threat to the natural resources on which it depends .
- Nutrient Pollution: Heavy rains can wash massive amounts of nutrients into the Gulf, triggering algae blooms that choke off oxygen in the water, making it difficult for marine life to survive .
- Deforestation: Deforestation and forest degradation indirectly threaten marine ecosystems . Wildfires can also lead to toxic runoff that harms coastal and marine ecosystems .
These threats not only affect marine ecosystems but also have significant economic consequences, including losses in fisheries, tourism, and other industries .for editorial page click www.eminentnews.com
