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Oceans Empty By 2048?
F34nor writes to mention a CBS news article about the depopulation of ocean species. According to a study by a scientist in Halifax, Nova Scotia and assisted by research from all around the world, the world's oceans will be emptied of large lifeforms by 2048. From the article: "Already, 29% of edible fish and seafood species have declined by 90% — a drop that means the collapse of these fisheries. But the issue isn't just having seafood on our plates. Ocean species filter toxins from the water. They protect shorelines. And they reduce the risks of algae blooms such as the red tide. 'A large and increasing proportion of our population lives close to the coast; thus the loss of services such as flood control and waste detoxification can have disastrous consequences,' Worm and colleagues say."
Fish farming, particularly sea cage farming of saltwater species, has plenty of problems itself. The big five appear to be:
/ fishfarms-712.html
m on/
p roblems_muchalat0205.htm
the wastes produced by farming
the fish that escape
the diseases and parasites that occur in farms
the chemicals used to treat diseased fish
the problems of stock depletion and contamination of feed.
See:
http://www.focs.ca/fishfarming/index.asp
http://news-service.stanford.edu/news/2000/july12
http://www.davidsuzuki.org/Oceans/Aquaculture/Sal
http://www.westcoastaquatic.ca/article_fishfarms_
And many others.
What I find to be self evident is that the real issue is simply to many people, not enough planet.