The ocean is such a captivating and mysterious habitat that is home to billions of sea creatures.  Over ninety-five percent of the ocean remains unexplored.  It would be devastating if all the animals in the ocean disappeared before we even got the chance to discover and learn about them.  The sources I researched support the claim that humans are continuing to destroy one of Earth’s most important environments.  The sea covers more than seventy percent of our planet’s surface, and it is the backbone of all the ecosystems, so it is crucial that we take care of it.  The ocean is steadily declining, and it will continue to deteriorate if humans do not change their actions.  I believe that we should maintain the planet like we take care of our own houses.  Since the Earth is our home, it deserves to be kept as healthy and clean as possible to ensure the well-being of all life.  

To start cleaning and caring for the ocean the way we should, the first step is to try to understand pollution and how it impacts the marine ecosystem.  The author of the article, “Marine Pollution,” Geert Potters explains all the different types of pollution and the impact they have on the marine ecosystem.  Pollution is any form of contamination in an ecosystem with a harmful impact on the organisms by changing the growth rate and the reproduction of any species.  Pollution also interferes with humans by impacting facilities, health, or property values.  The main transport of pollutants from the land to the sea occurs through rivers.  Urban and industrial sewage systems are dumped into the rivers, which runoff directly into the ocean.  This runoff contains high levels of nitrogen and phosphorus, which are two elements essential for plant life.  However, these elements are only present in the oceans in a limited concentration to allow for abundant plant growth.  The constant flow of nutrient-rich water from the land to the ocean can upset any aquatic ecosystem nearby.  As the levels of nitrogen and phosphorus increase, the microalgae populations can multiply immensely and take over the area.  This results in algae blooms: a massive growth of algae in the sea that consume so much oxygen that the water beneath them becomes anaerobic.  Any marine life living in that area will be forced to move or die of lack of oxygen.  This is only one of many types of pollution that needs to be destroyed or at least reduced to save the ocean and its marine creatures.    

The amount of plastic seen in the ocean and found in animals has become so great that scientists have created new methods to measure exactly how much plastic is floating in the ocean and where it is travelling.  The net tow and visual surveys are methods discussed in the article, “Plastic Pollution in the World’s Oceans.”  A net is towed across the ocean surface for 15-60 minutes outside of the vessel’s wake to avoid any sinking of the debris.  Another method, called a visual survey, involves a dedicated observer that will stand on one side of the ship and note any large objects made of plastic that were floating on the surface within approximately twenty meters.  Based on the results of the methods they used, they estimated that at least 5.25 trillion plastic particles weighing approximately 268,940 tons is currently floating at sea.  Over 90% of all net tows contained evidence of plastic pollution.  This is a frightening statistic considering less than 10% of net tows result in plastic free observations.  Since plastic travels through the ocean by wind and currents, scientists cannot say that any areas of the ocean are free from plastic pollution.  Microplastics are extremely hazardous because they are too small to be picked up by nets and are easily ingested by smaller organisms.  Plastic can move through the food chain if smaller organisms that have been polluted are eaten by larger predators of the sea, such as sharks or bigger fish.      

Our generation could be the last one that can hunt fish in large numbers.  It is hard to imagine a restaurant without fish or shrimp listed on the menu.  As explained in the source, “How the World’s Oceans Could be Running Out of Fish,” approximately eighty-five percent of fish stocks are over-exploited, abused, or in recovery from mistreatment.  In 2012, global fish consumption hit a record high with 37 pounds of fish per person per year.  On average, people consume over four times as much fish as they did in 1950.  A report suggested there may be fewer than a hundred cod over the age of thirteen years old in the North Sea between the United Kingdom and Scandinavia. These numbers are being analyzed, but it is not a good sign.  This information means that we could be losing fish old enough to create offspring that fish need to replenish populations.  Large areas of seabed in the Mediterranean Sea look more like a desert than an ocean, because it has been stripped of its fish thanks to methods such as bottom trawling.  Bottom trawling is when a fishing net is towed across the sea floor, scooping up anything in its path.  Exotic sea creatures such as sea turtles and manta rays are also being hunted to extinction.  For example, shark numbers have declined so significantly that one-third of its population is now at risk of extinction.  Marine ecologists agree that this fact is extremely worrisome because such a decrease in shark numbers will have a severe impact on marine ecosystems.  Without sharks, an increase in fish numbers will trigger a crash in small marine life, such as plankton.  The top marine predator is no longer the shark, it’s humans.     

The ocean’s decline is mainly due to the exploitation of countless fish and marine animals.  Many species of marine life are facing endangerment because of the amount of pollution floating in the water and a decline in population due to overfishing.  One type of fish that is approaching extinction is the Pacific bluefin tuna.  This breed of tuna are very powerful predators, so they should be thriving near the top of the food chain.  Instead, humans have created a huge market demand for tuna meat, causing the fish to almost disappear because of overfishing.  Commercial fishing industries pursue the tuna relentlessly, because the yearly profit for the fish is close to $1 billion.  However, the fish cannot reproduce fast enough to sustain its population.  If the bluefin tuna becomes extinct, it could drastically impact the environment and cause many food webs to collapse.  Humans need to realize that the marine ecosystem is critical to the survival of all life on Earth.  Not only does this ecosystem provide food to billions of people and economic stability for coastal communities, but it also absorbs half of the carbon dioxide produced by humans that is dangerously warming our planet.  If we let the Pacific blue tuna go extinct, then we are continuing to contribute to the downfall of the ocean.  

Whales are one of the most majestic, wonderful creatures of the sea.  If they were to disappear, it would be a true tragedy.  The article, “Why Whaling?  Why Save the Whale?”, focuses on the economic and ecological impact that whales have on the planet.  The whale population has been declining due to whaling.  Whaling is the practice of hunting and killing whales for their oil, meat, or whalebone.  Economically, whale watching is a profitable business which attracts millions of people.  Tourists generate approximately 413 million dollars a year to watch these animals in their natural habitat.  Ecologically, whales have a significant role in nutrient cycling.  One of the major points of the article is that whales are the main sources of carbon cycling.  Whale feces makes organic carbon more accessible to smaller creatures by consumption.  Even after they die, whales continue to play a significant role in cycling carbon.  When the lifeless whale carcass begins to sink, carbon that has been acquired by the whale in the form of plankton (whale’s main source of food) is brought to the sea floor.  This impacts global climate change as this export of carbon to the sediment means it can no longer interact or cause damage to the atmosphere.  The larger the whale is, the more carbon will be transported to the deep parts of the ocean.  However, whaling has greatly reduced the size of whale populations and has even decreased their growth.  If whaling can be stopped, then whale populations can return to their natural level of growth.  Besides having an important role in carbon cycling, a falling whale carcass also provides organisms that are usually not exposed to enormous amounts of food with a delicious meal.  

Project Ocean is an organization dedicated to making more marine reserves happen.  In their video, they discuss some disturbing facts about the current situation regarding marine life and the future of the ocean.  As of right now, approximately only 2% of the ocean is protected when the ocean covers 71% of the Earth.  Fish are worth more to humanity than gold.  Over 1 billion people rely on fish as their primary protein source in their diet.  We need healthy oceans to support our way of life.  Concerning the animals, 90% of the top ocean predators have disappeared.  Without predators, other smaller species will be able to multiply unchecked, causing food webs to collapse.  Each year, 250,000 sea turtles, 500,000 seabirds, and 300,000 dolphins are harmed or killed during the commercial fishing for another species.  The ocean is a complex inter-connected system, so if one part of the ecosystem is damaged, then all the other parts suffer as well.  If the ocean continues this path of declining, it is predicted that major fisheries will collapse by 2050.  The key solution to this problem are marine reserves.  They offer a refuge for fish, top predators, and migratory animals by protecting the habitat they depend on during critical stages of life.  If we want to restore the oceans back to health, then we need to establish as many marine reserves as possible.  

A lot of people are tired of sitting around while the ocean continues to deteriorate.  Enric Sala, a marine ecologist, decided to take action by quitting his regular job to dedicate his time to protecting the ocean.  He is one of the many ecologists who have recognized the dire situation that the marine habitat is currently in, because approximately only two percent of the ocean is protected.  The remaining areas of ocean are being disrupted by overfishing, pollution, climate change, and the extinction of many marine species.  In his article, “A Marine Ecologist Strives to Protect the Seas,” Sala stated, “I was tired of writing the obituary for ocean life.”  Sala decided to take action by traveling to remote parts of the ocean and documenting the treasures he finds.  His objective is to convince others that protecting these areas of the sea has major benefits.  The major value of this article is to show people that the ocean is worth protecting.  Since the leaders of most countries cannot explore the ocean themselves, Sala goes on expeditions to the remote parts of the sea to document them.  He then shows his data to the leaders of these countries with hope that they will agree to protect it.  While diving in the ocean, he has seen several things that he found disturbing and disheartening.  For example, in remote islands in the Pacific, sharks had brand new stainless steel fishing hooks embedding in their mouths from deep sea fishers.  Whether the hooks from these fishermen were meant for the sharks or not, it does not change the fact that these animals had been harmed and left to suffer.  Sala explained that it is not good that animals in isolated parts of the ocean are being hunted and injured.  He warned, “We are running out of ocean.  There are very few places left untapped; the bad guys know they (marine animals) are there.”        

Even though there are efforts in place to protect the ocean, they need to be improved.  The ocean is an enormous environment, and the actions to save it need to be substantial enough to make a lasting impact.  As stated by Callum Roberts in his video, the current international target for preserving the ocean is 10%, but it needs to be raised to 30%.  In other words, Roberts believes to start the long process of healing our oceans, we need to preserve at least one third of our seas from exploitation and harm.  During his interview, Roberts is asked the question, “Why protect the ocean?”  He responds by saying that life will be safeguarded in the future because species will not go extinct.  Fisheries will continue to thrive, and if not, then it will result in a decreasing dysfunction in the sea.  Population collapse and contamination of beaches will also be a consequence of not protecting the ocean.  When asked, “If we protect 30-40% of the sea, who benefits?”  Roberts answers by saying that both nature and commercial fisheries will benefit by the same networks of marine protected areas.  To conclude the interview, Roberts claims that some people might say it’s crazy to attempt to protect that much of the marine ecosystem, but those people are crazy to think that human survival can get by without protecting that much ocean. 

Marine biologists are not the only ones who can make a big difference concerning the health of the ocean and our planet.  There are simple, easy decisions that can be made that will contribute to conserving the sea.  For example, when eating seafood at a restaurant, choose a species of fish that is healthful and sustainable.  Tuna is a bad choice, because this species is extremely overexploited and near extinction.  Recycling is the key solution for ocean conservation.  Using a reusable water bottle, choosing a cloth grocery bag instead of reusing the plastic bags, and recycling whatever plastic is used in your home will benefit the environment greatly.  You can also avoid purchasing products that are made from marine animals.  For example, do not buy any jewelry made from coral reefs, accessories made from sea turtle shells, and any shark products.  Changing these everyday methods may not seem like much, but it will make a difference overall.  

In conclusion, if humans do not change their methods of fishing, help reduce pollution, or create more marine reserves, then our ocean and all the creatures that inhabit it will soon disappear.  Marine pollution is killing off animals faster than they can reproduce to save their population.  Reducing population and overfishing are both major factors as to why we are running out of fish.  The high demand for fish meat has caused fisheries to severely overfish many species of fish, causing food webs to threaten to collapse.  Many marine animals, such as whales, are important for nutrient cycling.  Without them to balance the amount of the carbon, the excessive amount of nutrients could damage the atmosphere.  Conserving the ocean will benefit all species of marine life, the atmosphere, and the survival of humans.  We need to realize that nature does not need us to survive, but without nature, humanity could not continue to exist.  
