According to the International Coral Reef Initiative, coral bleaching is now impacting 84% of ocean reefs, the most severe event in recorded history.
It is now the fourth global bleaching event since 1998, surpassing the 2014-2017 event that affected about two-thirds of the world’s coral reefs, according to the ICRI, which includes more than 100 governments, non-governmental organizations, and other stakeholders.
According to the International Coral Reef Initiative (ICRI), a coalition comprising over 100 governments, non-governmental organizations, and various stakeholders dedicated to coral conservation, this latest event highlights an alarming trend regarding the health of coral ecosystems worldwide.
The widespread bleaching threatens the biodiversity that depends on these reefs and poses serious implications for coastal communities that rely on healthy coral reefs for their livelihoods and protection against storm surges.
“We may never see heat stress levels that lead to coral bleaching fall below the threshold for a global event,” said the corresponding secretary of the International Coral Reef Society and former chief of the Coral Reef Watch program at NOAA.
“We are seeing a major change that is impacting our planet and the ability of our oceans to support life. Last year was the hottest on record, with oceans absorbing much of that heat. The average sea surface temperature, outside polar regions, reached a high of 20.87 degrees Celsius (69.57 degrees Fahrenheit).”
Coral reefs are essential for seafood production, tourism, and protecting coastlines from erosion and storms. Known as the “rainforests of the sea,” they support about 25% of all marine species.
The colorful algae living inside corals not only give them their vibrant hues but also provide a food source for the corals. Prolonged warmth prompts algae to release toxins, causing corals to expel them and leaving behind a stark white skeleton.
This weakens the coral and heightens its risk of dying. The severity of recent bleaching events has led NOAA’s Coral Reef Watch to expand its bleaching alert scale to address this growing threat.
Efforts are underway to conserve and restore coral reefs. A Dutch lab is propagating coral fragments from the Seychelles in a controlled environment, aiming to repopulate wild reefs when needed.
Additionally, a project in Florida rescues corals endangered by high temperatures, nursing them back to health before returning them to the ocean.
Coral bleaching affects the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian oceans. If the temperature rises by 1.5 °C, mass coral die-offs could occur, leading to the loss of 90% of the world’s coral. NOAA is awaiting confirmation from Indian Ocean scientists or photos to declare the fourth mass bleaching event.
Approximately three billion individuals rely on fish as a primary source of protein, with an additional four billion supplementing their protein intake with fish.
Freshwater fish, in particular, serve as a major protein source for at least 200 million people, especially in low-income and landlocked countries. This group includes 60 million people, over half of whom are women whose livelihoods depend on freshwater fish.
Seafood is the largest globally traded food commodity, providing animal protein to over 3 billion people worldwide through both wild-caught and farmed sources.
The demand for seafood is increasing, and aquaculture plays a crucial role in meeting this demand while preserving the sustainability of wild fish populations.
Hosea 4:1 The LORD hath a controversy with the inhabitants of the land because there is no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God in the land.
Hosea 4:2 By swearing, and lying, and killing, and stealing, and committing adultery, they break out, and blood toucheth blood.
Hosea 4:3 Therefore shall the land mourn, and everyone that dwelleth therein shall languish=lose or lack vitality; grow weak or feeble, with the beasts of the field, and with the fowls of heaven; yea, the fishes of the sea also shall be taken away.
Luke 21:11 And great earthquakes shall be in divers places, and famines, and diseases; and fearful sights and great signs shall there be from heaven.
Luke 21:25 And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring;
Luke 21:28 And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.
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