Page 14 - AlertDiver_Summer2011_web

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ivers are probably more connected to the wonders in the oceans than most people. Those who have been diving the same sites for any length of time have seen the changes firsthand. Overfishing, excessive collecting, pollution, habitat damage and changing environmental conditions all are having an impact on ocean ecosystems.

Overfishing of large predators like sharks for their fins or bluefin tuna for sushi is having devastating consequences on the oceanic food web. Scientists estimate that only 10 percent of predators at the top of the food web remain, and the effects of their absence ripple throughout the system. Yet the hunt continues. Coral reefs, the favored habitats of many divers worldwide, are reflecting the consequences of ocean warming, and changes in ocean chemistry are affecting their ability to build their skeletons. This inability to regenerate efficiently has a domino effect, as entire communities of reef fishes and marine animals rely on coral reefs for food and shelter.

DIVE SLAT

12 | Summer 2011

1 2 / S U S T A I N A B L E S E A F O O D

1 6 / V O L U N T O U R I S M

1 8 / D A N E V E N T S C A L E N D A R

1 9 / A L I V I N G M U S E U M

2 0 / D A N M E M B E R P R O F I L E

2 1 / D A N M E M B E R B E N E F I T

B y A l i s o n B a r r a t t

Sustainable Seafood

Making smart choices to save the oceans