Guest speaker J.Nichols from the Ocean Conservancy visited the show today. He reminds us that the ocean can't take it all, like many used to think. Rivers containing runoff from cities, agriculture and the entire world end up in our oceans can cause dead zones, which are repairable once we discontinue poisoning our our waters. The life and diversity of our world's oceans will replenish!
There are three issues we can look at concerning the health of ocean-life.
1. There is too much going in: oil pollutants, mercury and other contaminants.
2. There is too much coming out due to overfishing, and by-catch.
3. Damage in the coastal areas though development, habitat destruction, etc.
In response...We need to implement policies to help protect our oceans!!!
Nichols points out the importance of current Act "Oceans 21," which is legislation concerned with treating the ocean with the care it deserves.
Nichols started a Sea Turtle program called SEE Turtles found at www.seeturtles.org People can sign up to take sea turtle tours in areas where visitors do not harm the turtle habitats, meanwhile helping the coastal communities in which theses beautiful creatures are found. Eco tourism destinations include Baja, Trinidad, and Costa Rica.
In Monterey County Leatherhead Turtles are found. How we fish, what we do with our waste, and what we eat are all factors which determine the health of these turtles. Plastic bags floating in the ocean are easily mistaken for algae and will be consumed by turtles.
Although sustainable seafood can be confusing, one thing is pretty certain. Shrimp require nets sweeping over the ocean floor, killing everything in its path in order to catch this favored commodity. If you simply cannot give it up, PLEASE find sustainable shrimp! Take at look at www.Shrimpsuck.org for more information.
Have a great weekend, and thanks for listening! Feel free to comment.
Olana and Deborah
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