For this dangerous tendency to be stopped the world leaders have to make efforts, so the restoration of the oceans and the preservation of the coastline populations becomes a priority in the accomplishment of the UN’s goals for sustainable development, which are imminent to be accepted later this month in New York. The negotiations for new global treaty of the climate are also an important opportunity for firm commitment to the preservation of the oceans.
“We published this special report in order to present the most current possible condition of the oceans”, Marco Lambertini, general director of WWF stated. “Human activity has seriously damaged the oceans just within the frames of one generation. We catch more fish than can be reproduced and at the same time we damage the places where they live. Deep changes are necessary to secure the biodiversity in the oceans for the future generations also”, Lambertini adds.
“Without doubt the preservation of the seas and oceans has to become priority for the world leaders. However the ordinary people shouldn’t sit idle, because the destroying of the fish affects all of us, “ Ekaterina Voynova from WWF Bulgaria says.
As citizens it is very important for us to insist for actions on behalf of the politicians, but at the same time to think about our own behavior as consumers, Voynova emphasizes. According to her the choice of fish and fish products which we make every day, directly influences the state of the sea food reserves in the oceans.
Our office together with the WWF agencies in 10 other European countries, have set ourselves the task to inform the consumers how to choose the fish they buy, so they don’t stimulate the over-catch or the illegal fishing. We are working actively with the merchants as well, to make sure that they will start to offer more and more fish with guaranteed, sustainable lineage. This is important both for the nature and for the people whose subsistence or livelihood depends on the fishing, the representative of WWF Bulgaria adds.
The cited scientific data in the WWF report show that the species of exceptional significance to the commercial fishing and to the subsistence of the fishermen with irreplaceable role for the livelihood on a global level, probably have suffered the most substantial decline. According to the research one of the most popular fish families, including tuna fish, mackerel and belted bonito, has registered a decline of entire 74%. For the period between 1970 and 2012 the total fish reserves have decreased by 49%. 5 829 populations of 1234 fish species have been studied.
Beyond the obvious damage to the nature, the threats to the ocean have economic dimensions too. According to the WWF evaluations the annual volume of the economic activities associated with the oceans amounts to 2,5 trillion dollars.
“The good news is that solutions exist and we know what has to be done. The seas and the oceans are renewable resources and can be used by the future generations, if they aren’t put under excessive pressure”, Lambertini points out.
The fish reserves of the planet have decreased drastically
