Scientists have issued a warning about a coral bleaching event that could kill thousands of reefs by the end of the year.

Scientists have confirmed that the world is currently in the middle of the third coral bleaching event to ever be recorded.

The U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has found global evidence to support the occurrence of major changes to coral reefs caused by rising ocean temperatures.

What Is Coral Bleaching?

Coral turns white after expelling the algae that provide nutrients to the reefs.
Image: Ocean Service

Stress on coral reefs causes coral bleaching. The bleaching is characterized by a rejection of the algae living on the coral’s form. Without the algae, the white skeleton is all that remains.

The presence of symbiotic algae handles the coral’s colorful appearance. The algae also provide the coral with essential nutrients that keep them alive.

The current instance of bleaching has been classified as a bleaching event because it spans more than 100 kilometers (63 miles) in the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian ocean basins.  According to the NOAA, the XL Catlin Seaview Survey, Reef Check and the University of Queensland, the event is currently happening now.

Causes Of The Environmental Event

Rising ocean temperatures are the main cause of coral bleaching.
Image: NASA

According to NOAA, each bleaching event has been caused by an increase in ocean temperatures. Each event has occurred during unusually warm temperatures common during El Niño years.

The event is extremely dangerous because it could result in the death of more than 12,000 square kilometers (about 4,600 square miles) of coral reefs by the end of the year. El Niño temperatures will continue until 2016, which means that bleaching instances are likely to increase.

“Coral reefs are the litmus test of our oceans, a visual representation of the health of our seas,” CNN anchor and meteorologist Derek Van Dam said in an article. “When coral becomes bleached or white in color, this sensitive ecosystem is negatively impacted, which creates a profound ripple effect on the world’s food chain.”

While most people have ignored the threats to coral reefs, the XL Catlin Seaview Survey has been mapping its progress. The survey data is collected by a custom-made camera that travels on an underwater scooter and takes a 360-degree image of the ocean.

Scientists had tested coral in 26 different countries before and after the event began. According to Richard Vevers, the survey’s executive director, the goal of the survey is to track a global baseline of coral reefs that will illustrate how they have changed over time.

Raising Awareness For Threatened Reefs

More than 12,000 square kilometers of coral reefs could be destroyed if the event goes unchecked.
Image: UVM

While some reefs recover after ocean temperatures cool, most will die out. The team observed a bleached reef off American Samoa and discovered that about 95 percent of the coral had died.

The survey will post its data to Google Street View to raise awareness and allow internet users to understand the effects of coral bleaching. Vevers said coral bleaching hasn’t yet grabbed the world’s attention.

“This is the equivalent of rainforest turning white and no one noticing,” Vevers said.

The survey is meant to direct attention to the severity of the bleaching event to make positive change, Vevers said at the December at the U.N. Climate Change Conference (COP21) in Paris.

“The XL Catlin Seaview Survey team will be at COP21 with this imagery,” Vevers said. “We’re also using virtual reality technology with Google Cardboard so we can take the policy makers and the media to go see the coral bleaching firsthand.”

 

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Researchers sampled over 70 seafood species in Pacific waters and discovered the presence of plastic and textile contaminants.

An investigation into the quality of fish in California and Indonesia has shown that prominent species in the seafood chain are contaminated with plastic and textile fibers.

Researchers analyzed the contents of two fish markets and found human-derived debris caused by differing waste management systems that could potentially harm consumers.

The Study

The study was able to discern the kinds of contaminants prominent in fish caught in different coasts along the Pacific Ocean.
Image: Vegan-Magazine

Researchers led by Chelsea Rochman at the University of California-Davis School of Veterinary Medicine sampled a variety of fish species in Half Moon Bay and Princeton, California and in Makassar, Indonesia.

The California sample included 76 fish from 12 species along with one species of shellfish. In Indonesia, the researchers sampled 76 fish from 11 species. The fish were caught by regular fisherman in local waters.

Researchers dissected the fish species and analyzed the contents of their guts. The process of chemically dissolving tissue allowed them to uncover plastic and fiber debris inside the fish.

In the Indonesian sample, 55 percent of fish possessed human-derived debris, including Indian mackerel, shortfin scad and silver-stripe round herring. Of the fish sampled, 28 percent contained debris.

One fish had a total of 21 pieces of plastic in its guts, as plastic debris were most prominent in Indonesia’s fish.

In the sample taken in California, 67 percent of species had debris, including the pacific oyster, pacific anchovy, striped bass and Chinook salmon. About 25 percent of the fish sampled were affected.

Researchers noted a difference between the kinds of debris in each location, with American fish posessing mostly textiles pollutants compared to the plastic pollutants dominating Indonesian waters.

“I was very surprised to see such a difference in type of debris between locations,” Rochman said.

Causes Of Contamination

Textile fibers from washing machine wastewater was found in fish sold in the United States.
Image: Chemical & Engineering News

Each country has a different system used to dispose of waste. Researchers believe that these systems illustrate why fish species in certain areas contain different contaminants.

In Indonesia, the waste management system allows plastics to be thrown into the ocean. The United States has implemented a plastic recycling initiative, which accounts for the lack of plastic debris.

Fish near the California coast contain high levels of textile fibers, which could be attributed to the prevalence of washing machines. The discharge from washing machines is sent to wastewater treatment plants, where it could easily seep into the ocean.

“Fibres are a ubiquitous contaminant in the effluent from wastewater treatment plants due to their small size and abundance in the waste stream. They have been found in several marine habitats and animals,” Rochman said.

Consumption of textile and plastic fibers can cause a number of health concerns, but the extent remains unclear until more research is conducted. Rochman urges policymakers and citizens to protect the oceans in order to keep the problem from worsening.

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Tuna, mackerel and other marine species have experienced a catastrophic population decrease, causing a threat to human food security.

In the last 40 years, certain fish populations have decreased by almost 75 percent. Many of these species are essential to the human food chain.

New research shows that tuna and mackerel are subject to a “catastrophic” decline. The study cites problems such as overfishing, acidification from environmental pollution and other threats to marine life that must be addressed.

A Decline In Aquatic Animal Species

Since 1970, more than 49 percent of 1,234 ocean species have experienced a significant decline.
Image: 2luxury2

The study, called Living Blue Planet Report, was conducted by World Wide Fund For Nature (WWF) and the Zoological Society of London. It concluded that an important family of fish species, commonly used to supply food, has been impacted by various man-made environmental hazards.

The scombridae family of fish includes mackerels, tunas and bonitos. These species have declined by 74 percent between 1970 and 2012. In addition, the research shows that 49 percent of 1,234 ocean species have declined throughout that 49 year span.

The fish populations in decline are critical to human food security, according to WWF. The charity urges action to put a stop to the actions that are depleting global resources.

“This is catastrophic. We are destroying vital food sources, and the ecology of our oceans,” Louise Heaps, chief advisor on marine policy at WWF UK, said.

Threatened fish species include the nearly extinct Pacific bluefin tuna, along with yellowtail tuna and albacore, which are popular menu items. However, the skipjack tuna has “a surprising degree of resilience,” according to Heaps, one of the study authors.

In addition, sea cucumbers, which are an Asian luxury dish, have fallen by 98 percent in the Galapagos Islands and 94 percent in in the Egyptian Red Sea. Endangered leatherback turtles in the UK are also becoming scarce.

The study authors identify specific threats to marine life and ocean habitats, which in turn threaten our access to seafood.

Identifying Threats To Sea Creatures

Overfishing and environmental pollution are the main causes of dwindling marine species.
Image: Stop Overfishing

Overfishing is a global issue, but it’s specifically problematic in the Pacific Ocean. Chinese, Japanese and Korean fisherman possess the world’s largest fleet in both size and capacity. The fishing activities of these countries outweigh even European ocean endeavors.

Since 1970, pollution has been affecting marine health and habitats. A substance called plastic detritus builds up in the digestive system of fish, which damages wildlife and enters the food chain. Coastal mangrove swamps are depleted, and carbon dioxide has contaminated the ocean. This makes it more acidic, which depletes metabolic rates and depresses immune systems of marine life.

“I am terrified about acidification,” Heaps told the Guardian. “That situation is looking very bleak. We were taught in the 1980s that the solution to pollution is dilution, but that suggests the oceans have an infinite capacity to absorb our pollution. That is not true, and we have reached the capacity now.”

If regulators don’t step in, acidification could destroy the world’s coral reefs by 2050. The process of acidification is dangerous to tiny marine animals that use calcium to make their shells and other organs.

“It’s not all doom-and-gloom. There are choices we can make. But it is urgent,” Heaps said.

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