Save the Fish, Save the World!
By: Ginger | October 03, 2008 | Category: General
Some of the most exhilarating moments in my life have been in our world’s oceans. While snorkeling off Honduras, I watched a huge whale shark swimming in the distance below. As it began to surface directly towards me, I thought of the times I’d practiced speaking whale (like Dory in “Finding Nemo”) in the shower. I said, “Goooo baaaack whaaaale, don’t huuurt meeee”. I must be pretty fluent, because the whale shark gently avoided me. While scuba diving in Turks and Caicos, eight eagle rays swam by us in formation, turning in unison like a squadron of jets at an air show. Diving from a safety cage off the coast of Australia, I watched 20-25 sharks in an incredible feeding frenzy.
These experiences have given me an appreciation for our oceans and the diverse life they sustain. Global warming and the impacts of pollution on our oceans worry me, but it gives me hope to know that there are organizations studying and trying to protect our oceans.
Recently, two EPA staff members joined environmental scientists and the crew of EPA’s Ocean Survey Vessel (OSV) Bold to document science and research in action. Read their blog posts to get an in-depth look at what’s involved in protecting our waters.
The Ocean Observing System, is a network of people and technology from various federal, regional, and state organizations that work together to generate and distribute data on the nation's coastal waters, Great Lakes and oceans.
The NOAA is not only responsible for daily weather forecasts, severe storm warnings and climate monitoring, but they are also responsible for fisheries management, coastal monitoring and supporting aquaculture.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has a Coastal Program that provides incentives for voluntary protection of threatened, endangered and other species on private and public lands alike.
How can you help? Check out Fish Watch when buying fish to find out which fish populations are listed as sustainable. You can also follow these suggestions to help protect coral reefs. If you are considering a conservation career, check out Careers: Conserving the Nature of America.
So, do you think we are doing enough to keep our oceans viable and to prevent environmental disaster?
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