What are some of the threats to coral reefs around the world? Increasing temperature. With increasing ocean temperatures due to climate change, coral reefs are under threat. Coral reefs exist in a very specific temperture range. When the temperature they are exposed to is outside of this narrow range they become stressed. If they are…
Category: Threats to the Ocean
Marine pollution – chemicals in the ocean.
What is bioaccumulation? A major issue with marine pollution is bioaccumulation. Bioaccumulation is when chemicals build up in an organism in the natural world. These chemicals are often toxic. This is caused by marine pollution. In the ocean, chemicals get into the food chain at the base. The smallest organisms absorb them faster than they…
The Sargassum Problem.
On many windward beaches in the Caribbean and east coast of the USA you will come across huge swathes of sargassum covering the rocks, in the shallows and strewn across the beach. The sargassum problem is getting worse. This seaweed can build up and if doesn’t get washed away or cleaned up, it can begin…
A dolphin smile.
‘A dolphin smile is one of natures greatest deceptions. It creates the illusion that the dolphin is always happy’ – Ric O’Barry, the Dolphin Project founder. Do dolphin smile? No. This is simply the way their mouth looks. When you see them performing in an aquarium show, you think they look happy? No. The dolphin smile…
Catching and eating caribbean lobster.
The Caribbean Lobster is spiny, unlike other lobster it hasn’t any front claws to protect itself. Therefore catching them is pretty easy. They are also delicious (if you like shellfish) so the Caribbean lobster are highly vulnerable to overfishing. As a result the species is declining in population all across its range. This is a…
Invasive lionfish in the Caribbean.
Lion fish are an invasive species in the Caribbean. They originally come from the Indo-Pacific region of the world. The origin of invasive lionfish in the Caribbean is is still unknown, with reported sightings starting round the mid ’90’s. One theory suggests hurricane Andrew destroyed an aquarium in southern Florida, releasing the fish into the…
Turtle Patrol – Ocean Spirits, Grenada.
Sea turtle patrol. There are 7 species of sea turtles worldwide. All are considered endangered. Sea turtles can live a long time, having the same relative life span as that of humans. They take decades to reach maturity, spending juvenile life stages floating in the open ocean around seaweed beds where they can find food…
The threats of trawl fishing.
Most commercial fishing causes huge destruction to our oceans, in more ways than one. How do we decide what fish has been sustainably sourced? Trawl fishing is one of the most destructive fishing methods, yet is still commercially allowed to continue world wide. There are some limitations in different countries, such as certain areas being…
Caribbean Coral Reefs.
Having the opportunity to go to Soufriere, St Lucia after sailing across the Atlantic was a great way to learn about the local Caribbean coral reefs ecosystems. Myself and some of the other members of the crew from Moonflower 3 got to learn about the work Clear Caribbean are doing with the local community. They have…
Seagrass and the Tobago Cays Marine Park.
St Vincent and the Grenadines were one of the first Caribbean countries to recognise the importance of the marine ecosystems and begin putting in place legislation to protect it. The Tobago Cays Marine Park was one of the first marine protected areas in the Caribbean, with horseshoe reef being one of the most well preserved,…