Green | July 09, 2008 | 17 comments

Why we need underwater "National Parks"

source: http://www.alternet.org/water/90857/

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christopherwalls
"When you create marine protected areas, you end up impacting people's livelihoods," says Ugoretz. "It's good to know that it actually works."

MPAs protect a portion of the ocean and its inhabitants the way a national park does on land. Fishing and other human activities are restricted or banned, so fishermen tend to view them with suspicion. But scientists increasingly think that they are key to sustaining sea-life diversity and bounty."
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17 comments // Why we need underwater "National Parks"

  • misticblue7
  • claybird121
    • 0
      claybird121  

    • I seems that I'm always hearing marine biologists tell us how much the ocean's ecosystems have been depleted and are nearing collapse. This seems sort of like a no-brainer. You can't eat what doesn't exist.

    • 3 years ago
  • pirho338
    • 0
      pirho338  

    • Looe Key is a beautiful example of a very successful underwater park..they could also cut the recreational seasons in half, that and get rid of things like mini-seasons that often devastate populations within a weekend..

    • 3 years ago
  • clintisdakoolest
    • 0
      clintisdakoolest  

    • It wont be long untill there is an inforced fishing season law to give the fish more time to mulitiply. It worked for the deer why not for the fish?

      Killing wild animals and mounting their heads on your wall is the same thing as catching fish and putting them in your aquariums.

    • 3 years ago
  • infuriel
    • 0
      infuriel  
    • clintisdakoolest:

      I understand what you're saying. But I think mounting heads on a wall and catching fish and putting them on aquariums is a bit too extreme. I mean, at least they're not dead and some do take care of their fishes. If that's so, then having a cat and dog indoors is like mounting head on a wall, too. I think they're different, but I do get your point that we shouldn't kill animals just cuz we enjoy it.

    • 3 years ago
  • sephig
    • 0
      sephig  
    • clintisdakoolest:

      There are already seasons for fishing that are strictly regulated by states and fedral goverment. What hurts the fish population is not sports fishing its commercial fishing when they are allowed to net large groups of fish at one time, that is when it is devastating to the local enviroment. I live in Florida we have very strict limits on sports fishing (amounts and times that you can catch also size regulations) and since they banned commercial netting years ago you can see a dramatic increase in the number of fish. My family has a vacation house on Cudjoe key where we regularly go and its the same their . The coral reefs down there in the Keys are all protected.

    • 3 years ago
  • christopherwalls
  • infuriel
    • 0
      infuriel  

    • the ocean covers 71% of the earth and only less than one percent of it is protected, whereas we have 13% of our land is protected, and not to mention the ocean is what makes life here on earth possible. Important? yes.

    • 3 years ago
  • rwylie
    • 0
      rwylie  

    • I think the fact that you think Japanese people are called "Japanians" says it all. And yes, a lot of the oil is under the sea, so we do need to drill there, until we find a better way to make energy.

    • 3 years ago
  • bansheewail
    • 0
      bansheewail  

    • Do we really need to drill for oil in the ocean? Aren't the pesticides and fertilizers doing the trick. Shoot, man, the Japs get to hunt and kill 100 whales a year for research. "Research" loosely translated in Japanian is "Sushi". If we humans keep it up, we can kill the whole damn thing. The Atlantic Algae Bloom sounds pretty. Who needs the Ocean? Have you ever tastes a deep-fried algae Po-boy with a sprinkling of Red Tide?? Hummm, delicious!

    • 3 years ago
  • KosterK7
    • 0
      KosterK7  

    • I totally agree this this... These are some of our most important living ecosystems and need to be protected. "out of sight, out of mind" - NO MORE!

    • 3 years ago
  • darkhorsejim
    • 0
      darkhorsejim  

    • The Virgin Islands Nat'l Park is a prime example of why underwater, federally protected marine areas are as crucial as the NPs that are strictly regulated on land. That is why V.I.N.P. is still pristine because it was thankfully saved from destruction years ago. There is no higher level of protection by our gov't for these areas. It's a no-brainer to save as much of our dying ocean ecosystems as possible because too many sources are pointing back at the oceans for humans to ultimately survive.

    • 3 years ago
  • alexhansen
    • 0
      alexhansen  

    • Being a certified SCUBA diver I can honestly say, we need to protect underwater reefs and areas either by making them National Parks or areas under protection by law.

    • 3 years ago
  • abbym0308
  • rwylie
    • 0
      rwylie  

    • We absolutely should: there is more life in the seas than on land, and it needs protecting from human activities just as much.

    • 3 years ago
  • Avolyn
    • 0
      Avolyn  

    • I think this is a great idea! although some reefs are dying off because of climate change and no "park protection" can stop that, but i still agree with the idea!

    • 3 years ago
  • christopherwalls
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