A new study from WWF found that ocean fish populations have been cut in half since 1970. Photo: Brent Stirton / Getty Images
You’re familiar with the post-breakup consolation saying that one bro will say to another bro: “Don’t worry, there’s plenty of fish in the sea.” While that may be true for possible partners on land, it’s not the case for the actual sea.
A new study from the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) found that the ocean’s fish population has dropped 49 percent since 1970. The main culprit behind this drastic decrease? Overfishing.
The study tracked 5,829 populations of 1,234 species, which is a sample size twice as large as previous reports. While other factors such as global warming and pollution also factored into the decline, the massive fish industry was predominately behind it.
And the species most afflicted were bluefin and yellowfin tuna, which are hugely popular at sushi restaurants. Don’t get me wrong – I’m guilty of treating myself to a little tuna sashimi more than the global fish population (or my bank account) can afford. But what will happen if we continue at this pace? Will there be no fish in 40 years?
If that’s the case, then there would be serious repercussions for the earth and anyone living on it. The ocean is a structured ecosystem with each element playing a particular role to ensure survival. If one goes, they all go. And as a producer of half the world’s oxygen, the ocean is uber important to human survival. If the ocean goes, we go. Maybe we gotta expedite our mass migration to Mars.
