Ocean Health
noise pollution
Global shipping
that's louder than a jet plane taking off
a cargo vessel emits about 190 decibels of noise
Ocean life, including whales, dolphins and reef fish rely on communication to survive.
But the noise from these ships masks the natural sounds of the ocean and puts stress on marine life, impacting their ability to communicate, navigate and find food.
By simply slowing down and avoiding known breeding zones and migratory routes, large container ships can reduce their impact on marine life.
Acoustic sanctuaries can also provide a safe space for animals to live without the disruption of noise.
heat stress
BLEACHED CORALS
over half the world's coral reefs have died in the past 70 years
If high heat continues the bleached corals die.
Climate change, caused by the burning of fossil fuels, has led to a rise in average ocean surface temperatures. As our oceans warm corals can become 'stressed' by the rising temperatures, causing them to turn white or bleach.
Without healthy coral reefs the fish and other marine life that depend on the corals experience rapid population decline.
Efforts to breed new corals are now taking place across the world. This alongside curbing carbon emissions that fuel climate change and ocean warming, will help protect vulnerable corals.
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fish are on the move
Marine life around the world is trying to adapt to the challenges of a warming climate and habitat loss. Rising ocean temperatures are pushing many fish populations to migrate toward the poles or dive into deeper waters to find cooler conditions. Some species have even changed their migration routes to follow shifting prey or seek more suitable habitats.
However, the movement of fish makes them harder to protect. According to The State of the World's Migratory Species report, a staggering 97% of fish species listed under the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS) are at risk of extinction. This highlights the urgent need for global efforts to safeguard migratory species as they adapt to our changing planet.
CLIMATE CHANGE
Sea Ice Loss
Antarctica is losing approximately 150 billion tons of ice each year, while Greenland is melting at a rate of about 270 billion tons annually. This massive ice loss significantly contributes to rising sea levels.
Declining Sea ice is causing habitat loss. Species like polar bears, walruses, Orca and seals rely on sea ice for hunting, breeding, and resting. With shrinking and thinning ice, these animals struggle to find stable platforms.
80% of Emperor penguin colonies are projected to be quasi-extinct by 2100 if we don't change our carbon emissions
Loss of sea ice also means a loss of algae on the underside of sea ice a critical food for Krill which forms the base of polar food chains.
Indigenous Arctic communities, such as the Inuit, rely on sea ice for hunting, transportation, and cultural practices. The loss of stable ice threatens their way of life.
As sea ice diminishes, coastal communities face increased exposure to storm surges and erosion because the ice no longer acts as a barrier.
By reducing our carbon emissions we can reduce the impacts of climate change on sea Ice loss.
PLASTIC OCEANS
A RISING TIDE
up to 12 million tons of plastic enter our oceans every year-
a garbage truck every minute.
Single-use plastics can be dangerous to marine life including fish, turtles, dolphins and whales. These animals can mistake plastic for food or get entangled in discarded fishing gear.
Larger plastics can break down in the environment forming 'microplastics' and even 'nanoplastics'. These plastics have been found all across the world from Arctic sea ice to the ocean floor.
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Scientists are working to document the full reach of microplastics within our ocean and to help us understand what the potential impacts could be on marine life and human health.
Overfishing
where have the fish gone?
Overfishing remains one of the biggest threats to life in our oceans
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Globally, 3.3 billion people rely on fish as a source of food
Fishing can be practiced sustainably and has been an integral part of many cultures worldwide for thousands of years. For numerous communities, it is not just a source of livelihood but also deeply interwoven with their traditions and way of life.
However when fish are caught at a rate faster than they can reproduce fish populations can collapse. This can cause disruption of entire food chains affecting everything from tiny shrimps to the largest whale sharks
Overfishing puts more than one-third of all sharks, rays, and chimaeras at risk of extinction
by 2050 the weight
of plastic in the
ocean could
outweigh fish
HABITAT DESTRUCTION​
BOTTOM TRAWLING
Trawling- dragging a wide net behind the boat- is considered to be one of the most damaging forms of fishing, because it is not specific in what it catches.
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As a result many unwanted species can get caught up in the nets - this is called bycatch and results in the excessive loss of marine life.​
Marine Protected Areas
Marine protected areas create safe havens for marine life. They are established by governments to protect critical habitats and species that are essential for healthy functioning marine ecosystems.
​MPAs can have different names, like marine parks, conservation zones, reserves, sanctuaries, or no-take zones. Some MPAs don’t allow any human activities at all, while others let people do certain things, like fishing or swimming, but in a controlled way to protect the environment.
MORE FISH FOR EVERYONE!
When MPAs are looked after properly, they help fish populations grow and recover. This can create something called the "spillover effect," where the growing number of fish and other animals spread out from the protected area into nearby waters.
This makes the ocean healthier and creates better fishing spots for local communities. MPAs are an important way to take care of our oceans and all the life they support.
A study in 2021 on spiny lobster fishing in California showed a reduction of fishing by 35% due to Marine protected area designation caused a 225% increase in catch just 6 years later thanks to the spill over effect.
Ocean Acidification
The amount of CO2 in the atmosphere has risen due to climate change, but the ocean helps by absorbing 25-30% of this CO2, along with 90% of the extra heat caused by emissions.
However, when the ocean absorbs CO2, it becomes more acidic in a process called ocean acidification. This change in the ocean’s chemistry can have harmful effects on marine life.
Carbonate ions, which are essential for building things like sea shells and coral skeletons, decrease as the ocean becomes more acidic. With fewer carbonate ions available, it becomes harder for marine animals to create and maintain their shells and other calcium carbonate structures.
Scientists around the world are working on ways to reverse Ocean Acidification. A new study on kelp forests showed that through kelp farming and ocean afforestation we can use the fast growth of kelp (up to 2 ft per day!) to capture CO2 from surface waters, potentially mitigating ocean acidification!
POLLUTION
Substances in the ocean that are not naturally found there are called chemical pollutants. ​
They can be fertilizers that run-off agricultural land into the ocean, crude oil and petroleum substances, pesticides, sewage and even personal care products.
These chemical pollutants can cause harm in different ways. Some are directly toxic to marine life, whilst others like fertilizers and sewage can set off a chain reaction making the ocean environment uninhabitable for many species.
Some pollutants are unable to break down in the ocean otherwise called ‘persistent’ pollutants.
They can be ingested by the smallest organisms in the ocean and then passed up the food chain to larger species where they can accumulate in large quantities and have harmful effects on their health.
Managing waste properly and choosing non-toxic chemicals for cleaning and gardening helps reduce the amount of harmful toxins that end up in the ocean.
THE DEEPEST RECORDED PLASTIC
PLASTIC HAS REACHED SOME OF THE MOST REMOTE REGIONS ON THE PLANET.
11 KM
The final frontier
80% of the world's ocean remains unexplored.
The deep sea is home to a vast array of marine life and there is still much about the deep sea that is unknown.
Hydrothermal vents are like oceanic hot springs they release fluid thats been heated within earths crust - creating an environment that allows life to flourish in hostile conditions.
With new technology scientists are able to study these ecosystems like never before.
Deep sea mining threatens to disrupt this delicate ecosystem.
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Deep-sea mining is the process of extracting valuable materials from the ocean floor, including metals like lithium, cobalt, gold, manganese, zinc, nickel, copper, and aluminum. These metals, often called "transition-critical" materials, are important for creating green energy technologies, like the batteries that help power electric cars and renewable energy systems.
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​Sediment plumes generated during mining can spread over vast areas, smothering marine life and disrupting food chains. Noise and light pollution from mining operations further stress organisms adapted to dark, quiet environments.
However, deep-sea mining poses a serious risk to delicate ocean ecosystems that we still know very little about. The mining process could cause habitat loss for deep sea marine species.
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