There is this term in science we often use to describe how one generation views the ocean, versus a past generation: shifting baselines. This term was first coined by Daniel Pauly, a renown fisheries biologist who warned us that continuing to fish like we do will undoubtedly lead to overfishing and severe issues for our oceans, and ourselves. He wasn’t wrong, that’s exactly what happened for several fisheries around the US and the world. Now as we try to climb back out of this hole we’ve dug ourselves, we’ve discovered that this “shifting baselines” is a real situation.

This means that the fisheries, the coral reef ecosystems, the rainforests that we see today is what we refer to as our “baseline”. This is what we need to protect, because it’s all that we have left. Let’s get grim… there is about 10% of live coral reef in the Caribbean. That is amazing right? Can you believe that is all that is left? But imagine if you were a scientist, a diver, a recreational fisher, a surfer, someone who cared, in the 1970s. Your baseline would have been more like 50% live coral (that means that everything else you see that is not alive, is dead and likely covered in macroalgae – a plant that can destroy coral reefs if we don’t have herbivorous fish to eat it — see the cycle??). So in the 70s, if you were concerned about having only 50% of the coral reefs alive and healthy and happy, can you imagine what this generation — our generation — must feel about the 10% we see?

After reading this article, I was inspired to share this with you, not to depress you (although conservation biology is often quite such), but to alert you. I’ve shared a couple other key articles in the above paragraph too, that all relate to this issue. So what can we do to help?

First, if you live by an ocean, you can find programs like Surfrider or Mission:Clean Beaches and get involved. They will likely have education programs, beach cleanups and more ways to share this issue with those around you. Education is key! Lack of this knowledge is generally why people throw trash on the ground, leave garbage at the beach, and dump toxic wastes into the ocean. Second, you can also make sure that you’re doing everything you can to not leave a footprint: 1) never walk on coral reefs with fins or bare feet, 2.) never anchor or wrap line around living coral, 3.) try to avoid toxic sunscreens or chemicals before snorkeling or swimming in the ocean, 4.) always pick up your garbage when at the beach – and these are just a few, but very helpful ways.

If you want to get heavily involved, I encourage you to attend public hearings and seminars put on by your local governmental fisheries management councils. These councils usually call hearings for the public to give comments on new fishing regulations. Remember how I said that fishing and coral decline are related? Key player and famous scientist Jeremy Jackson (who I had the privilege to hear at the last Gulf and Caribbean Fisheries Institute conference in Barbados) harps on us scientists to focus our attention to overfishing. He credits overfishing as the leading cause of coral reef decline around the world. So what does that mean to you? Help us promote sustainable fishing practices – encourage locals (especially you islanders!) to leave the parrotfish and other reef-cleaning fishes on the reef. Let the groupers and snappers grow up to reproductive size and contribute to their populations before harvesting. Avoid taking undersized lobsters. All these smart, mindful, sustainable practices will lead to a healthy ecosystem, which in turn will promote coral growth.

Finally, other ways to promote coral health includes raising the issue of water pollution. Naturally, as a human population, we produce a lot of waste. And where does this waste end up, eventually? Yeah.. the ocean. Sad, right? No way to avoid it. Of course, just think about islands — the vast majority of an island lives on the coast. Why? Because that’s their source of employment, their way of life, it supplies their needs — shipping, importing/exporting, fishing, tourism. These things produce waste, they lead to polluted waters, they kill corals. Again, help raise this awareness, join a water quality monitoring program, speak to high schools, talk to your local representatives about checking up on industries responsible. Yes, this means you have to stand up and speak loudly. Anyone can do this! If you live by a river, this applies to you. If you have a lake in your town, this applies to you! If you live someplace with any water source anywhere, this applies to you.

And what will you gain? Stay tuned for Part Two tomorrow.
(Art by Mae Chevrette)