One Possibility Runs Into Another Reality

A recent study on the protein production potential of the ocean sounded promising at first glance. The study pointed out that the ocean could provide 6 times more food than it currently does now. The ocean currently provides about 20% of the protein needs of the world, and for those that live close to the shore, certainly the percentage is much greater. The big potential gain they think is with the cultivation of mussels, clams and scallops. The result will be highly nutritious food with less disruption than traditional land based agriculture. With more reforms in how we fish (looking at the really efficient producers like the salmon producers in Norway ) we could boost fishing production by 20% and in the future by as much as 40%. There is also a potential for seaweed. Certain seaweed can actually reduce methane emissions from livestock, reducing their negative impact on the greenhouse gasses.

The problem with this future projection is that it has been seen that the bulk of the warming that is occurring in the world is being absorbed by the ocean. The percentage is something like 93%. The ocean is like one giant heak sink. The problem with this is that the increased temperature is making the ocean acidic and the combination of rising temp and acidity is killing off the delicate plant and ocean life that is present near the shores. Coral is balancing out (dying) and as that habitat for many marine creatures die, so do they. The coast of California has seen a massive temperature bloom in recent months and that is killing off the abalone (large clam like crustacean) that has been a staple since I lived there 50 years ago.

So the plan on relying on the ocean as a large source of protein for the future may have no future at all. Previous extinction events has seen ocean life not be protected from the chaging climate conditions. We just don’t see it as readily as that which is front of us. Ignoring it won’t make it go away.