Ocean Protection

In today’s time the knowledge about the oceans fills complete libraries. Nevertheless we researched so far only a small part of all the secrets of our oceans. Only one thing is already clear: The oceans determine the destiny of our planet.

Each year up to 39 million tons of bycatch are thrown back from fishing vessels into the sea dead and unused (including 300’000 whales and dolphins as well as more than 340’000 seals). Bycatch is inedible or too little fish as well as turtles, sharks, seabirds, seals, whales and dolphins, which all have to die painfully in fishing nets besides the wanted catch.

The ratio between wanted fish and bycatch is often totally absurd. For 1 ton of sole about 11 tons bycatch has to die and for 1 ton of shrimp up to 14 tons of bycatch get killed. We need a new ethic and awareness for our underwater world. To stop the consumption of endangered species like sailfish, tuna or shrimp are just a few examples of what we have to do.

According to Yaqu Pacha and the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums by the year 2048 the life in our oceans will be close to a total breakdown due to overfishing, killed bycatch and the chemicals, plastic and waste that get thrown into the sea. More than three-quarters of the worldwide fish and seafood population are already fully overfished and exploited.

All this facts are nothing new but often suppressed or bent into shape by the governments or their responsible institutions for their own purposes.

The oceans are one of the most fragile and certainly one of the most important ecological systems on the planet. The oceans regulate the climate and produce the oxygen for the air that we breathe. Approximately 70% of the oxygen needed for life are produced by only two kinds of algae which are living in the oceans. If we destroy the oceans we destroy also the life on land. From the water came and comes the life, everything depends on water.

No species on this planet would have ever survived by ignoring the basic laws of ecology. And now we are breaking these laws every day in different ways. That can be our own demise in a very short period of the time unless we learn to live harmonious with the environment.

There is no hope that the mass of people will do anything. They never have they never will. All the social changes come from the commitment of individuals or small groups. Slavery was not ended by any government or any institution. Women got the right to vote not because of any government. There are always individuals or groups that passionately stand up and oppose and so cause a change.


Don’t look away – do something!