I was born in the Caribbean and grew up on the French side of St. Martin, surrounded by colorful fabrics, vibrant music, and delicious tropical foods. I was obsessed with the ocean at a very young age and fascinated by the endless variety of organisms that thrived in a watery world, a world that covers more than 70% of our planet. On many occasions, I occupied myself by crouching on docks and looking at the fish through the wooden planks. As I watched the colorful fish playing in their labyrinths of coral, I was amazed at the microcosm that existed below the surface, entirely self-sustainable and oblivious to everything above them.

On World Oceans Day, I want to reflect on one of the biggest problems facing our oceans today – overfishing. Commercial fishing practices are a significant source of stress on our oceans.

The statistics are grim: 3/4 of the world’s fish stocks are being harvested faster than they can reproduce. Eighty percent are already fully exploited or in decline. Ninety percent of all large predatory fish – including tuna, sharks, swordfish, cod and halibut – are gone. Scientists predict that ...

Link to original article / Continue Reading...

Wildlife Promise ... National Wildlife Federation Blogs.