Sea Creatures Fall by a Half

The number of marine mammals, birds, fish and reptiles has almost halved since 1970, according to a report on the world's oceans. The "wake-up call" study by conservation group WWF and the Zoological Society of London looked at how 1,234 species of marine creatures had fared in the past 45 years and found a 49 per cent drop in numbers in the face of over-fishing and habitat loss. Some species people rely on for food are faring even worse. The Scombridae family of fish, which includes tuna and mackerel, has fallen by 74 per cent. Sea cucumbers, prized as a luxury food in Asia, have suffered a 98 per cent decline in the Galapagos and 94 per cent drop in the Egyptian Red Sea in just a few years. Species found in UK waters, including the porbeagle shark, have also seen numbers plummet. Louise Heaps, of WWF UK, said: "As well as being a source of extraordinary beauty, healthy seas are the bedrock of a functioning global economy. By over-exploiting fisheries, degrading coastal habitats and not addressing global warming, we are sowing the seeds of ecological and economic catastrophe."
Article from the Daily Express 16th September 2015

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Further information...
World Wildlife Fund Website

Further information...
Zoological Society Website

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