Vital Signs Fact: Oceans in Steep DeclineOf late, the global fish supply has been buoyed entirely by increased production from fish farms, since wild harvests from streams, lakes, bays, and oceans dropped from 81.4 million tons in 2002 to 77.7 million tons in 2003. In fact, the gap between wild harvests and fish raised on farms continues to narrow. Since 1997, wild harvests have fallen 13 percent from the peak of roughly 87 million tons, while fish farming’s harvest jumped more than 50 percent, from 35.8 million tons to 54.8 million tons. Furthermore, as of late 2005, an estimated 20 percent of the world’s coral reefs had been “effectively destroyed,” showing live coral losses of at least 90 percent and no immediate prospects for recovery, according to the Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network. Another 24 percent face imminent risk of collapse as a result of human pressures and 26 percent face longer-term loss—bringing the share of world reefs now threatened or destroyed to 70 percent, up from 59 percent in 2000. The greatest destruction has occurred in the Caribbean Sea, Indian Ocean, Gulf regions, and Southeast Asia.Visit
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