Deep-sea trawling is devastating marine ecosystems

In his research for the ten-year European Census of Marine Life, Dr. Jason Hall-Spencer of Plymouth University in the United Kingdom has found that deep-sea bottom trawlers are destroying corals and marine habitats that had been preserved for eons, since the last Ice Age.

Once used only in shallow waters, the giant heavy nets with rubber rollers that are dragged along the seafloor are now being taken to deeper seas due to dwindling numbers of fish.

Along with the countless lives they take, the net’s rollers are known to collapse delicate coral habitats. Dr. Hall-Spencer stated in fact that while less than 1% of some 50,000 underwater sea mountains have been studied, their biodiverse ecosystems may be decimated before ever being explored.

He said, “It doesn't matter what ocean you go to, these habitats are being trashed by international fishing fleets. …What is urgently needed is a network of protected areas where any type of fishing gear that involves dragging equipment across the seabed is banned.”

Many thanks, Dr. Hall-Spencer for your call to halt the destructive practice of bottom trawling. Indeed, let us allow all fish to live so that our world may continue to be graced with wondrous marine life.

Supreme Master Ching Hai has frequently spoken of the need to protect our living oceans, as in an interview published in the September 2009 edition of the British Parliament's The House Magazine.

Supreme Master Ching Hai: If we do end the killing of fish in the spirit of showing respect for all created life, the fish will rebound very quickly. But the continuation of fishing activities could damage the balance of marine life beyond its ability to recover.

Analysis by British researchers of hundreds of years of fishing records has revealed to us the devastating effects of trawling to both the marine environment and sea life. One scientist compared this method to harvesting apples by lowering a giant net and dragging it through the orchard, thus destroying the trees, destroying the very life that supports the fruit.

Please, request the media’s help in spreading info about the detriments of trawling and the dire state of fish populations today. Another extremely effective practice would be to stop eating fish and advocate the same for all citizens.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2010/feb/18/deep-sea-trawling-coral-reefs

Rising levels of fish contaminants linked to climate change

Scientists studying aquatic life in Canada’s Mackenzie River have found that levels of toxic substances such as mercury, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and the damaging insecticide DDT have risen dramatically in recent years.

Over just the past decade, the mercury levels of certain fish have increased by 160%, while PCBs have jumped to being six times higher and DDT has tripled.

Their rise is attributed to Arctic melt, with air-borne pollutant particles that were deposited over time in the pristine environment now being released as temperatures warm and the ice continues to melt.

The researchers believe that this has also led to a growth in the algae, zooplankton and other life forms that absorb the pollutants from the water and are in turn consumed by the fish.

Canadian scientists, our appreciation for your work that again highlights the delicate interconnections of life on our planet.

May we show our deep respect for environmental balance by adopting the organic, vegan diet. Supreme Master Ching Hai, who has frequently addressed the importance of every being’s existence on Earth, spoke once more of our need to be good environmental stewards during a May 2009 videoconference in Togo.

Supreme Master Ching Hai: The marine ecosystem is in big trouble right now from global warming already. Further fishing will only make matters worse. Also, mercury poisoning causes problems to aquatic life even before it gets to the humans. These are things we need to address in trying to save our planet, not to talk about our health also. Eating fish will definitely not help this.

The coastal ecosystems will also be affected greatly by diseases and algae blooms that release toxins. The ocean is a wonderful recycler that normally can purify the water and create nutrients and turn carbon dioxide into oxygen, etc. The ocean is a miracle. But if we ruin the ecosystems , this will spell disaster for us.

Supreme Master Ching Hai: It’s better for our body, for our conscience, for our mind, and for the planet to stay away from fish. We should be vegan.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/mackenzie-rivers-fish-contaminated-with-dangerous-toxins-scientists/article1462248/

Coral reefs give rise to considerable new species

A recent study by scientists at Humboldt University in Germany looked back hundreds of millions of years to determine the type of life that has sprung up around coral reefs over time. These magnificent but delicate ecosystems are currently imperiled worldwide as rising ocean temperatures produce bleaching and acidification, making it difficult for their structures to form.

Coral reefs are sometimes referred to as the rainforest of the ocean because of their vast biodiversity. That description was confirmed in this study as researchers found new species originating 50% faster in coral reefs than in other habitats.
Lead author Dr. Wolfgang Kiessling stated, “Our study shows that reefs are even more important than currently assumed ... not only ecologically … but also in an evolutionary sense.”

Dr. Kiessling and Humboldt University colleagues, our sincere thanks for your detailed work confirming the vital importance of coral reefs to our planet.

Let us show our respect for life on both land and sea through sustainable living in harmony with the Earth.

In a November 2008 interview on Ireland’s East Coast Radio FM, Supreme Master Ching Hai addressed yet again the significant value of the fragile marine ecosystems, along with the way to assure their preservation.

Supreme Master Ching Hai: Some scientists predict that most of the coral reefs could disappear in the near future if global warming increases. Scary, 10% lost just in the last four years alone. Coral reefs are just like the forest on land. They are the protectors of 100-plus countries’ coastlines against storm surges and hurricanes. And they are also the supporters of over 25% of all marine species. They are the medical treasure which is used in many medicines And there are many more things that we have not discovered about the benefits of coral reef and marine life.

Supreme Master Ching Hai: So we have to stop global warming.

Supreme Master Ching Hai: And above all, and most urgently of all, be veg, go green to save the planet.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/8446002.stm

Human consumption of salmon and lobster triggers marine imbalances

Studies conducted by the Australian Marine Conservation Society (AMCS) off the coast of Tasmania have revealed that lobster fishing results in increased populations of spiny sea urchins. These species then overgraze kelp beds, causing areas known as sea urchin barrens, which triggers further biodiversity loss and disrupts important rocky reef ecosystems.

Moreover, the scientists found the farmed salmon fishing also has a severe impact on marine life, with as much as four kilograms of wild fish being killed to produce one kilogram of Tasmanian salmon. In addition, nearly 18 tons of antibiotics were fed to these farmed fish from 2006-2008 due to their susceptibility to disease because of extremely confined conditions, with as many as 50,000 to a pen.

With temperatures of coastal waters in eastern Tasmania rising four times faster than the global average, the researchers warn that human-induced stressors such as lobster and salmon fishing increase the tolls and reduce the ecosystems’ capacity to adapt. What’s more, the farming of salmon generates vast amounts of toxic waste that are now polluting the once-pristine Tasmanian environment.

Our gratefulness, Australian Marine Conservation Society scientists for these findings. May all people quickly heed the urgency of this information and switch to wholesome vegan lifestyles for the conservation of precious marine life.

During a May 2009 videoconference in Togo, Supreme Master Ching Hai spoke, as on previous occasions, about the marine biodiversity loss that is mainly caused by fish consumption.

Supreme Master Ching Hai: Balanced marine ecosystems are extremely important, as more than two-thirds of the planet is covered by oceans. They provide half of the world’s oxygen and play a major part in regulating the global climate. To disturb the balance of the seas, thus, ultimately places our own lives in danger.

Supreme Master Ching Hai: What we are seeing from these fish and marine life are signs of distress.
Stop eating the flesh; stop killing for food; stop eating the fish.

We should be looking for ways to help the fish, to protect them and all the marine life from the devastating effects of climate change. Once we start thinking in this way, we are in a better position for ourselves, for the fish and for the planet.

http://www.sciencealert.com.au/news/20091512-20412.html
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/12/08/2765421.htm
http://nccnsw.org.au/index.php?option=com_contact&task=view&contact_id=50&Itemid=164
http://www.amcs.org.au/

Galapagos species suffering from climate change and overfishing

The Ecuadorian Galapagos Islands were first brought to the world’s attention as the site where Darwin tested his theory of evolution. Now, they are speaking of the fragile state of our seas as a new report in the journal Global Change Biology indicates that the Galapagos black-spotted damselfish , and a remarkable 24-rayed starfish called Heliaster solaris are likely extinct as they have not been seen in the last 25 years.

Rising ocean temperatures caused by global warming-induced El Niño weather events as well as excessive fishing are blamed for their disappearance as well as the decline of other species such as the Galapagos penguin and the Floreana cup coral.

According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List, seven species from this famous ecosystem are possibly extinct while nine others are critically endangered.

We are saddened to know of the perilous condition of the Galapagos and all marine life. Let us all act now to avert more losses by adopting considerate lifestyles that are in harmony with nature.

During a May 2009 videoconference in Togo, while addressing the urgent need to act on the crisis facing our marine co-inhabitants, Supreme Master Ching Hai again called on all humanity to turn to life-sparing ways.

Supreme Master Ching Hai: The marine ecosystem is in big trouble right now from global warming already. If those fish are all gone, we will see a catastrophic loss of other marine species as well. The coastal ecosystems will also be affected greatly by diseases and algae blooms that release toxins. The ocean is a wonderful recycler that normally can purify the water and create nutrients and turn carbon dioxide into oxygen, etc. The ocean is a miracle.

Supreme Master Ching Hai: It is in our interest to care for the oceans if we want to survive, and all the life that they contain, including fish. No animal products at all; that is the best way. We should be vegan.

http://www.nhk.or.jp/daily/english/04_14.html
http://news.mongabay.com/2009/1203-hance_galapagos.html

Toxin in algal blooms sink to ocean floor to poison marine life

Harmful algae blooms poison marine animals and birds. Researchers at the University of South Carolina in the USA have determined that harmful algae blooms (HABs) often end up on the ocean’s floor, where the neurotoxin domoic acid poisons other species in the marine ecosystem, including sea birds and shellfish. Harmful algal blooms are caused by agricultural runoff containing nitrates and phosphates from chemical fertilizers and livestock production. Although domoic acid easily dissolves in sunlight and seawater, when the HABs bind together and sink, the toxin stays on the ocean floor for weeks, where it is consumed by shellfish, crustaceans or other fish. It has also been linked to seizures in marine mammals such as sea lions.

Our gratitude, University of South Carolina researchers, for alerting us to this additional human-caused threat to the marine ecosystem. May we be inspired toward avoiding the consumption of our marine co-inhabitants as we also work to restore the environmental balance in which they can thrive.

In a videoconference for the Heart-Touch Tour of the Supreme Master Ching Hai: Eden on Earth Arts Gallery Exhibition, Supreme Master Ching Hai called on all people to be better stewards of the Earth for the protection of our marine co-inhabitants.

Videoconference with Supreme Master Ching Hai
Heart-Touch Tour of the Supreme Master Ching Hai: Eden on Earth Arts Gallery Exhibition
Formosa - July 5, 2008


Supreme Master Ching Hai: Wild species suffer similar fates because we also drain our chemical substances, insecticides, pesticides into the rivers, into the lakes, into the oceans. So we lost many of these precious species, we lost many, many of us, because they are us. And we also lose ourselves, many of us humans, because of these substances, the poisonous substances - even from the farm industry -and we still did not wake up yet.

So we must protect the environment. And the wild, they can take care of themselves. If the environments are friendly and conducive to a healthy lifestyle, then the wild will never get sick. The wild will have no problem.