FSRN: Global Threats to Ocean Diversity

AMBI: [Sea Lions barking]

The sea lions dwelling beneath the Santa Cruz Wharf, are one of many thouands of species that populate the biologically rich waters of Monterey Bay. Normally a strict coastal creature, last year, local sea lions travelled hundreds of miles offshore in search of edible fish, say marine researchers at UC Santa Cruz. This freakish behavior is one sign of a major shift in the ocean.

AMBI: [Crashing Waves]

A team of scientists from 5 countries conducted a study of marine bio-diversity, using regional ocean models, and global fisheries data. Findings of their four year study were published November 3rd in Science Magazine. Their predictions paint a dark picture for the future of the world's fisheries. Marine diversity loss has already affected the stability of the ocean's ecosystems, they say, and if this trend continues, the global seafood market will run dry by 2048.

DH1: "Its a scary scenario"

David Helvarg, president of Blue Frontier Campaign and author of 50 Ways to Save the Ocean, points to the report's assertion that estuaries, coral reefs, wetlands and oceanic fish are all rapidly losing populations, species or entire groups.

DH2: "There is a catastrophe in our oceans in terms of the loss of marine life that's documented in this new Science report, and we really could lose most of our edible species of wildlife and the diversity of the oceans by mid-century." :14

Helvarg says over-fishing is a key part of the problem.

DH3: "On a global scale what we're seeing is giant, corporate factory trawlers, gov't subsidizing fleets that have greater capacity than the ecology and habitat of the fish can support." :11

Kate Wing, oceans policy analyst with Natural Resources Defense Council, or NRDC.

KW1: "For too long, alot of these fisheries have been managed by the people who have a direct financial interest in them, the processors, the people who are making money off of them, even though its a public resource, the public hasn't been given a chance to have a say, and say, Hey, enough is enough." :14

Wing says seafood consumers are a driving force behind the drop in ocean life.

KW2: "...we just can't keep eating as many fish as we have in the past.....Fish is something special. Its not something you get to eat everyday, and when you do eat it you can make smart choices. There are alot of guides on how you can eat smarter, support fisherman who are fishing in more sustainable ways." :15

Fifteen years ago, the Santa Cruz Harbor had about one-hundred small and mid-sized commercial fishing boats docked there. Today, only half are left, while recreational crafts, such as whale-watching and sight-seeing boats, have swelled in numbers. Many other cities report larger drops in commercial fishing vessels. Kevin Carney, who docks his small commercial crabbing boat at Santa Cruz Harbor, was dismissive of the findings in Science Magazine.

KC: " I think its sensationalism. Its just some scientists that decided, OHH, we're gonna make this huge claim that all the fish are gonna be gone in forty years. Well, they said that forty years ago, that the fish were all gonna be gone by now, but they're not." :14

Santa Cruz Port Director Brian Foss maintains the Pacific Fisheries Management Council, which regulates West Coast commercial fishing, is effective.

BF1: "You know our fisheries basically are still healthy, and there are sustainable fisheries out there. Albacore, and salmon, and crab.Yes, we have seen some species that are not as abundant as they were before, but those are under management plans. Such as the Rockfish, which has a complette moratorium, commercially on it." :17

But Kate Wing, of NRDC, says most of the protections currently in place only look at one species.

KW3: "In the ocean, everything is connected. That fish gets eaten by something, and in return, that fish eats something else to survive. So just by focussing on individual pieces, we're not focussing on what we call an ecosystem basis. Then we're really missing what's going on in the ocean, and that's part of what's caused the problems that we have today." :18

AMBI BED: [CAT Bulldozer moving sand on the beach, with waves crashing in the background]

The Science Magazine report, cites other factors besides over-fishing, which play a role in declining ocean wildlife. Coastal migration and associated development, off-shore oil exploration, and global warming, all contribute to marine species loss. However, the results also show that trends in declining sea life are still reversible, if dramatic changes in ocean policy are enacted, today. Reporting in Santa Cruz, Vinny Lombardo, Free Speech Radio News.