Since today is World Oceans Day, and much of the focus is centered on what we can do to help, rather than harm our oceans, we thought we’d give you a little insight into what it is that’s hurting them. Although there are more than 5 causes of ocean pollution, these 5 causes are all too common and, hands down, wreak the most havoc.
Deforestation
Some people may be dubious of the assertion that deforestation has a negative impact on the world’s oceans. However, there is evidence to back it up, right from the scene of the crime. First and foremost, deforestation in areas along rivers (which lead to the ocean) causes massive amounts of sediment to flow into the sea when heavy rains come through. This happens because there is no longer any roots or vegetation to filter the rain as it falls. This sediment ends up clogging mouths of rivers, which fish use to migrate and breed. It also blankets inshore coral reefs, which need exposure to sunlight to thrive. Since coral reefs serve as valuable habitat for juvenile species that will eventually be taken from the sea for food, interrupting their home life seems an unwise move in the grand scheme of things.
Coastal Development
Hotels and resorts built along the stunning coastlines of tropical destinations are the premiere destinations for those looking to get away from it all. However, they can have a devastating toll on the coral reefs that typically surround them. Careless tour operators and the tourists themselves are often responsible for the destruction of the very coral reefs they are there to observe. We’ve recently seen an example of this recently in Thailand. And should the land be developed agriculturally, the processes and runoff are one of the direct causes of ocean pollution.
Water Contamination
Contaminants come in many forms, and our waterways are flush with them. All of these eventually make their way to the sea. Development of land for commercial or agricultural use leads to much higher than acceptable rates of chemicals, fertilizers, human/animal wastes, and all manner of detritus become individual and intertwined causes of ocean pollution. Change in the water’s pH levels, as well as an increase in organic chemicals that are present in fertilizers, set the stage perfectly for an algal bloom. This can lead to oceanic zones depleted of oxygen and the die-off of many different aquatic, terrestrial, and aerial creatures.
Coral Mining
Coral mining is exactly what it sounds like: mining living and dead corals from the seafloor for use in construction projects, calcium supplements and other medicines, souvenirs in coastal towns, and use in personal and public aquaria. Because the reef must be blasted in order to dismantle it, not only is the coral itself destroyed, but so is the substrate upon which it rests and fish populations that live within the reef. Additionally, it also impact the the sand erosion, land retreat, and sedimentation adjacent to the mining operation.
Destructive/Overfishing
Just like coral mining, destructive fishing practices destroy entire ecosystems. Whether reef species are for the aquaria industry or food, the destructive methods often affect far more than the target species. All of this leaves a dead or dying reef habitat in their wake. Overfishing has a similar effect. Fish populations collapse entirely because they are fished faster than they can reproduce. Because many marine species live in symbiotic relationships, these absent reef species ultimately lead to degradation of the entire reef.
Featured Image from Krystian Piątek/Unsplash
