Overfishing, dead zones, and ocean acidification

The U.S.-based Pew Commission found that overfishing is the biggest threat to marine ecosystems, followed by agricultural waste, including manure and fertilizers used in animal feed crops. Climate change is creating areas of sea known as dead zones, which already amount to more than 400. These (dead zones) arise due to the escape of fertilizers, mainly from livestock, contributing to the lack of oxygen, which is so necessary for life. Scientists estimate that more than 90% of the oceans' large fish have disappeared in the last 50 years due to commercial fishing. They warned that at the current rate of fishing, there will be a global collapse of all species caught by 2050 and say they need to begin recovery efforts immediately. The lack of certain fish has contributed to higher ocean acidity, which in turn, reduces the ocean's ability to absorb CO2. Whales and dolphins are therefore being pushed out of the ocean when conditions worsen; it's suffocating for them. Sometimes hundreds die at a single time on the beach, because they cannot tolerate this toxic seawater condition.

Like other animals, fish feel pain and experience fear. Dr. Donal Broom, animal welfare advisor to the British government, says, “Anatomically, physiologically and biologically, the pain system in fish is virtually the same as in birds and mammals.” When they are dragged from the ocean depths, fish undergo excruciating decompression -the rapid pressure change often ruptures their swim bladders, pops out their eyes, and pushes their stomachs through their mouths. Then they are tossed onboard ships, where many slowly suffocate or are crushed to death. Others are still alive when their throats and bellies are cut open.

Now that commercial fishing has basically emptied the oceans of “target” fish, the seafood industry has turned to raising fish in contained fish farms, a practice known as “aquaculture”, which uses either tanks on the land or cages in the ocean. The fish are packed so tightly together that they constantly bump into each other and the wall of the enclosure, causing painful sores and damage to their fins. The enormous amount of feces in the enclosures leads to rampant outbreaks of parasites and disease. In order to keep the fish alive in such unhealthy conditions, large quantities of antibiotics and other chemicals are poured into the water. When the fish are fully grown, they are killed by having their stomachs cut open or die of suffocation when the water in their tank is simply drained away.

You can stop all this by choosing life. Eat vegetables, fruits, cereals, seeds, nuts, legumes, mushrooms, and let animals live their lives and the oceans recover. Every time you take a bite you either continue on the path of destruction or go on the path of peace, compassion, biodiversity, health and happiness.