Is the ocean eco system really in peril?
A. In some places the ocean is still beautiful. But anyone who has been scuba diving or snorkeling for more than a decade can probably reflect on some huge changes in nearly every ocean environment. (We also recognize that in some bodies of water things have actually recovered, due to such measures as the US Clean Water Act that has been operative for some three decades. A good example would be the Hudson River in New York which now has decent visibility and fishing thanks to efforts of government, environmental groups, and strong citizen advocates.) But for the larger picture, two recent comprehensive analyses of state of the world oceans leave little doubt that they are in jeopardy. These two US commissions, one chaired by a prominent Democrat and the other by a prominent Republican make clear what will happen if we do not change our policies on use – or more accurately abuse – of the world’s oceans. The problems can be broadly categorized as overfishing; habitat destruction; polluti
