Open+Ocean+Conservation

Drew K

= A huge impact that humans are having on the open ocean is killing sharks for shark fin soup. Annually 1,000,000 to 2,000,000 sharks are killed just for their fins alone. They just take the fins and then throw the shark back into the water. With no fins the shark cannot move so it sinks to the bottom and dies. Worst of all scientists believe that if sharks go extinct so will humans. =

The open ocean is pretty much depending on the U.N. to work on trying to get the world’s nation to ban drift nets for fish that are endangered. But first it will have to go through 30 nations to ratify it. 25 have already said yes. Except for Japan,they have not agreed. The country relies heavily on seafood. It has disregarded international quotas on catches of Southern Blue Fin Tuna. A study in 1997 revealed that of 109 plastic objects found in Midway's albatrosses,108 had come from Japan. Japan would greatly improve its moral stature by helping to heal the seas. If they just sign the treaty.

A huge problem that the open ocean has is that garbage is coming from every where in the U.S. Any toxic or non-toxic materials from lakes or ponds eventually flows into the river. Lead and mercury gets into the flesh of animals and causes birth defects. Since the 1940’s plastic materials have grown immensely in the ocean. A solution for this is a beach clean up or recycling. Also making sure that oil suds or other pollutants do not go down your storm drain.

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Ferries and cruise ships in the Baltic Sea are banning ship sewage. It is no longer to be allowed to foul in the Baltic Sea. The International Maritime decided to ban all waste sewage from passengers, which grows rapidly each year. The waste amount before was the waste water produced in these vessels is currently estimated to contain 460 tons of nitrogen and 150 tons of phosphorus, substances that add to the eutrophication of the sea. But now is decreasing the amount of nitrogen and phosphorus. =====

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This had to go through many of people and they decided to ban it because they were polluting too much with heavy metals, bacterias,and viruses. That it was making the Baltic Sea dangerous for anything or anyone to swim in. =====

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