Marine Life is in Danger

Marine creatures are caught in large numbers all around the world every year. Humans use them for many purposes. Some for poultry feeding, some people use them for food and also for scientific research. It is estimated that 90,000,000 of fish are caught each year, most of them in coastal waters. Only 60% of fish caught are used for human food, 40% is used for making into fishmeal or making into fertilizers. However, people are catching so many sea creatures for their own good reasons that now they are in danger of becoming extinct.

The ecosystem stability in the oceans has been disturbed. Many fish are caught by huge boats with sophisticated electronic equipment, due to which those species which are not required are also caught and are destroyed without any reason. This is so serious matter that in Europe the governments have banned the catching of some of the fish and has allowed only limited species in limited times to catch and use.

Whales are warm blooded animals and have been hunted from the earliest times. Until the 20th century whales were hunted in small boats with harpoons so that a small number were caught. In the 20th century more sophisticated methods were used so that the whales were killed easily. Large numbers of whales are killed due to which they are also becoming extinct. Therefore the whale population was so much decreased that after World War II, the International Whaling Commission was set up to try to preserve stocks.

Another reason for the extinction of fish is that the ships in the ocean spill oil which causes the fish to be poisoned. Some fish die others are caught by fishermen. They are then sold in the market and when we eat those fish, we usually get sick.

One of the kinds of turtles is the leather back sea turtles. They are also endangered species. Leather back sea turtles die due to many causes. One of them is the presence of garbage on the beach. Leather back sea turtles like to eat jellyfish. Once a year leather back sea turtles come to the beach to lay eggs. They engulf the plastic bags and mistake them with jellyfish. Those plastic bags stuck in their throat and cause their death. Some people catch leather back sea turtles by throwing nets in the water only too get their leather. This leather is then used to make very costly things like bags and shoes.

Only some of the species are mentioned above which are endangered. There are many other creatures which are in danger of becoming extinct because of garbage thrown on the beaches, oil that leaks from the ships goes into the seas and oceans, the sewage and waste that is discharged into the seas also brings harm. We should follow the fish quotas set by the government.

We can protect marine life by decreasing the amount of catching sea creatures, not throwing the garbage on the beaches and use dustbins, recycling our things and not letting toxic and harmful substances from the factories enter into the seas and oceans.

Let’s promise that from now on we will follow all these safety measures and protect the marine life which is in danger which adds beauty to the Earth.
M. Saad Tanveer