Canada (Commonwealth Union) – Pollution of the ocean’s ecosystem over the years particularly with micro-plastic pollutants has put a severe strain marine ecosystem, as endangered species disappear from the ecosystems. Researchers from Simon Fraser University (SFU) are part of a global team who have formed a new science-based indicator to evaluate the health of the oceans and the potential threat of extinction of their species.
Recent biodiversity research indicates an unmatched loss of species, ecosystems and genetic diversity on land; however, its extent is not clear.
A new study published in the journal Science, saw scientists from Spain-based AZTI Technology Centre, join hands with SFU and the International Seafood Sustainability Foundation (ISSF). They formed a worldwide indicator that measures the state of marine biodiversity in connection to alteration in extinction risk recorded over 7 decades in oceanic predatory fishes.
The research demonstrated that since the 1950s, worldwide extinction risk of oceanic predatory fishes has deteriorated as a result of excessive fishing pressure until the late 2000s. The findings give some hope following the global rebuilding of commercially vital tuna and billfish species yet show an issue in the management of sharks captured incidentally by the same fisheries, demonstrating the requirement to promptly take action. This resulted in the management measures in global fisheries organizations effectively lowering fishing mortality, recovering tunas and billfishes. Yet extinction risks in the undermanaged sharks continues to increase.
“It’s encouraging to see we’ve been able to halt declines of tunas and billfishes but the decline of sharks continues,” says SFU’s Nick Dulvy, distinguished professor and Canada Research Chair in Marine Biodiversity and Conservation. “If we don’t do anything to mitigate overfishing and lack of effective management, the loss of these species threatens the balance of ecosystems and risk of food security and jobs in both developed and developing countries.”
