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Fifteen years ago, we hit peak pessimism. A widely publicized study I co-authored in 2006 described declining trends in the abundance of ocean species, with a threat of global fishery collapse mathematically projected to occur by 2048. It was a wake-up call and a turning point in how we view the ocean — for me personally, and for much of society.
Once seen as inexhaustible, the ocean more realistically appeared as a fragile environment with a finite supply of vital resources and limited resilience in the face of unprecedented pressures. What once was unthinkable seemed now within reach, even in my own lifetime: An ocean that might fail us, because we failed it. Popular books with titles such as “The End of the Line” and “Sea Sick: The Global Ocean in Crisis” were penned soon after, engraining the view of a failing ocean in public consciousness. A palpable sense of despair grew that maybe this problem had become too big to fix. |
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Today, on World Oceans Day, I personally feel that the tide has shifted once again, and a new sense of resolve has taken root: The ocean is simply too big to ignore any longer. Changes in mindset are visible at sea level. Fifteen years ago, the harbor where I live in Nova Scotia was so polluted most people wouldn’t dip a toe in. It has since been cleaned up and I now swim in it daily. This morning, an osprey circled overhead, catching fish for its young, their breeding success no longer threatened by widespread use of pesticides like DDT. For the last week, I have been waiting for the mackerel to arrive on their annual migration. These small fish fuel an entire food web, attracting giant bluefin tuna, dainty terns and mischievous porpoises in their wake — species that were once almost gone from the region, but now returning in greater numbers. |
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