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Ten Threats to ocean health. April 2012. Global climate change. Sea levels rise Temperature rises Storms, floods, weather Current patterns Coral bleaching. Ocean Acidification & Climate Change. C aused by increasing man-made carbon dioxide emissions Makes the ocean more acidic
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Ten Threats to ocean health April 2012
Global climate change • Sea levels rise • Temperature rises • Storms, floods, weather • Current patterns • Coral bleaching
Ocean Acidification & Climate Change • Caused by increasing man-made carbon dioxide emissions • Makes the ocean more acidic • Changes the chemistry of the sea and is harmful for many forms of marine life
Dead Zones • Swaths of ocean that don't support life due to a lack of oxygen • Growing at an alarming rate • Over 400 known to exist • Thought to be caused by global climate change and fertilizer/pesticide runoff
Pollution • Over 80% of marine pollution comes from land-based activities • Oil Spills • Production waste • Marine Debris • GPGP • Shipping
Overfishing • When the amount of fish caught is more than the amount of fish needed to sustain fish stocks in a given region • Disrupts the food chain • Bycatch– unintentional captures
Irresponsible Fish Farming • Supposed to respond to overfishing • Poorly managed operations • Nutrient and chemical pollution released into environment • Accidental release of farmed fish is also damaging • Unregulated
Invasive Species • From: • Illegal Aquarium trade • Irresponsible aquarium owners • Release of foreign bait • Traveling Ships • Displace native species • Diminishes biodiversity
Resource Extraction & Coastal Development • Mangrove destruction • Habitat loss • 25% of all species may be extinct by 2050 • Tourism • Offshore drilling • Chemicals like mercury, arsenic, and lead also come up with the oil • Seismic waves used harm marine life • Infrastructure erodes coastline
Shark Finning/Whaling • Affects everything • 50-100 million killed each year • Bycatch • Hunted • When finned sharks are thrown back still alive and bleed to death • They reproduce too slowly for populations to recover
Mercury Poisoning • Coal plants • Ends up in the food we eat • Already contaminated water in all 50 states • Biomagnification • Tuna