Earth's Oceans

Coral Reefs - Ocean World A coral reef harbors as much life as a rainforest. (Photo courtesy California Academy of Sciences) " Cradle to Myriads of Species Millennia to Create Moments to Destroy " --Jim Morris " There has long been a belief that the sea, at least, was inviolate, beyond man's ability to change and to despoil. Is Coral an Animal, Mineral or a Vegetable? Go " FORWARD " to find out! Printer Friendly Page The Ocean -- National Geographic Endangered Species International Discarded fishing gear Discarded fishing gear such as monofilament fishing lines, sinker and hooks can entangle corals and abrade polyp tissue leading to coral lesions and mortality. In popular cast fishing spots in Oahu, Hawaii, scientists recorded fishing lines on 65% of 129 cauliflower coral (Pocillopora meandrina) colonies surveyed with increasing percentages of entirely or partially dead colonies being found in areas of with high percentages of colonies with fishing lines. A strong relationship was also found between the percentages of surface area with fishing lines and the percentage of dead surface area. Nutrients The health and diversity of coral reefs are threatened by excess nutrients carried into the ocean from the terrestrial and coastal zone. Increased levels of dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN as nitrate or ammonium) promote the rapid growth of species of algae such as crustose coralline algae and the macrophyta Lobophora variegate. Sedimentation Coral disease Sea level rise

Picture that teaches you how to save the ocean STOP SHARK FINNING 7 reasons to ban shark finning Fins are sliced off of sharks while their live bodies are tossed back into the ocean like trash. Here are 7 reasons why this practice should be banned. 1. Our most ancient species are endangered. Sharks have existed since before the dinosaurs and pre-date humans by hundreds of millions of years. Once kings of natural selection, sharks are now facing extinction due to finning. Since 1972, the number of Blacktip, Tiger, Bull, Dusky, and Smooth Hammerhead sharks has fallen by over 90%. 2. No one is asking people to stop eating delicious soups, and shark fin soup is certainly not one of them. The soup has been served for centuries by Chinese at special occasions such as weddings so the hosts can impress their friends with excess wealth, since it can cost up to $100 per bowl. 3. Changes in shark populations alter the ecological dynamics within the entire ocean because sharks are apex predators and play a major role as ecological stabilizers. 4. 5. 6. 7. Ban Shark Finning Worldwide