| . |
www.ambiente.us JANUARY | ENERO 2010
PETA | Jellyfish invasion a sign of trouble to come
By Paula Moore
World leaders at the recent U.N. climate conference in Copenhagen probably
didn't discuss the invasion of the jellyfish, but perhaps they should have. While it
might sound like the stuff of a B horror movie, millions of jellyfish—some the size
of refrigerators—are swarming coastlines from Spain to New York and Japan to
Hawaii. In November, these marauders sank a 10-ton fishing trawler off the
coast of Japan after the boat's crew tried to haul in a net containing dozens of
huge Nomura jellyfish—giants who can weigh up to 450 pounds each.
The best way to fight this growing menace is with our forks.
Scientists believe that a combination of climate change, pollution and
overfishing is causing the boom in jellyfish populations. Leaving animals,
including fish, off our dinner plates will combat all three problems.
Unless you've been living under a rock—or perhaps in a McDonald's—you
probably know that raising animals for food is not doing the planet any favors.
Today's meat factories spew greenhouse gasses, gobble up precious resources,
contaminate the air and pollute the water. According to a U.N. report, the
meat industry generates 40 percent more
greenhouse gasses than all the cars, trucks,
SUVs, ships and planes in the world combined.
Hello, jellies: Almost all jellyfish breed better and
faster in warmer waters.
PETA | Jellyfish invasion a sign of trouble to come
By Paula Moore
World leaders at the recent U.N. climate conference in Copenhagen probably
didn't discuss the invasion of the jellyfish, but perhaps they should have. While it
might sound like the stuff of a B horror movie, millions of jellyfish—some the size
of refrigerators—are swarming coastlines from Spain to New York and Japan to
Hawaii. In November, these marauders sank a 10-ton fishing trawler off the
coast of Japan after the boat's crew tried to haul in a net containing dozens of
huge Nomura jellyfish—giants who can weigh up to 450 pounds each.
The best way to fight this growing menace is with our forks.
Scientists believe that a combination of climate change, pollution and
overfishing is causing the boom in jellyfish populations. Leaving animals,
including fish, off our dinner plates will combat all three problems.
Unless you've been living under a rock—or perhaps in a McDonald's—you
probably know that raising animals for food is not doing the planet any favors.
Today's meat factories spew greenhouse gasses, gobble up precious resources,
contaminate the air and pollute the water. According to a U.N. report, the
meat industry generates 40 percent more
greenhouse gasses than all the cars, trucks,
SUVs, ships and planes in the world combined.
Hello, jellies: Almost all jellyfish breed better and
faster in warmer waters.
| . |
Animal factories are also among the causes of ocean "dead zones," as excrement
from factory farms makes its way to streams and rivers and, ultimately, to the open
seas, resulting in toxic algae blooms. While other sea animals die off in dead zones—
hence the name—jellyfish not only survive but also thrive.
The commercial fishing industry must also share the blame for the jelly boom.
The U.N.'s Food and Agriculture Organization reports that 80 percent of the world's
fisheries are now either overexploited, fully exploited, significantly depleted or
recovering from overexploitation. That's not surprising: Indiscriminate fishing
practices, such as the use of miles-long nets and longlines with thousands of
individually baited hooks, are stripping the oceans clean of sea life. And fish farms
make the devastation of our oceans even worse, as many farmed fish are fed ocean-
caught fish. It takes about 3 pounds of ocean-caught fish to produce just 1 pound of
farmed fish.
A study published in the journal Nature found that the number of large predatory fish—
such as tuna and swordfish—has declined by 90 percent. These are the same fish who
help keep jellyfish populations in check. In the Mediterranean, overfishing of both
large and small fish has left jellyfish with few predators and little competition for food.
While jellyfish invasions are a nuisance to beachgoers and a burden to businesses—
swarms of jellyfish have decimated fishing industries in the Bering and Black seas,
clogged water-intake pipes at nuclear power plants in Japan and forced beach
closings from the Great Barrier Reef of Australia to Waikiki in the U.S.—they are also a
sign of a more profound problem.
According to Dr. Josep-María Gili, a leading jellyfish expert in Spain, "These jellyfish
from factory farms makes its way to streams and rivers and, ultimately, to the open
seas, resulting in toxic algae blooms. While other sea animals die off in dead zones—
hence the name—jellyfish not only survive but also thrive.
The commercial fishing industry must also share the blame for the jelly boom.
The U.N.'s Food and Agriculture Organization reports that 80 percent of the world's
fisheries are now either overexploited, fully exploited, significantly depleted or
recovering from overexploitation. That's not surprising: Indiscriminate fishing
practices, such as the use of miles-long nets and longlines with thousands of
individually baited hooks, are stripping the oceans clean of sea life. And fish farms
make the devastation of our oceans even worse, as many farmed fish are fed ocean-
caught fish. It takes about 3 pounds of ocean-caught fish to produce just 1 pound of
farmed fish.
A study published in the journal Nature found that the number of large predatory fish—
such as tuna and swordfish—has declined by 90 percent. These are the same fish who
help keep jellyfish populations in check. In the Mediterranean, overfishing of both
large and small fish has left jellyfish with few predators and little competition for food.
While jellyfish invasions are a nuisance to beachgoers and a burden to businesses—
swarms of jellyfish have decimated fishing industries in the Bering and Black seas,
clogged water-intake pipes at nuclear power plants in Japan and forced beach
closings from the Great Barrier Reef of Australia to Waikiki in the U.S.—they are also a
sign of a more profound problem.
According to Dr. Josep-María Gili, a leading jellyfish expert in Spain, "These jellyfish
near shore are a message the
sea is sending us saying, 'Look
how badly you are treating
me.'"
We need to take steps now
to improve the health of our
oceans—before they
become fit only for jellyfish.
While our leaders debate the
best ways to curb climate
change and end overfishing,
we don't have to wait. Each
of us can start eating our way
to a smaller ecological
footprint simply by choosing
healthy, sustainable vegan
foods that are easier on the
planet and its inhabitants.
Paula Moore is a research
specialist for People for the
Ethical Treatment of Animals
(PETA), 501 Front St., Norfolk,
VA 23510; www.PETA.org.
Copyright 2010 © PETA & AMBIENTE
MAGAZINE. Do not reproduce
without citing this source
sea is sending us saying, 'Look
how badly you are treating
me.'"
We need to take steps now
to improve the health of our
oceans—before they
become fit only for jellyfish.
While our leaders debate the
best ways to curb climate
change and end overfishing,
we don't have to wait. Each
of us can start eating our way
to a smaller ecological
footprint simply by choosing
healthy, sustainable vegan
foods that are easier on the
planet and its inhabitants.
Paula Moore is a research
specialist for People for the
Ethical Treatment of Animals
(PETA), 501 Front St., Norfolk,
VA 23510; www.PETA.org.
Copyright 2010 © PETA & AMBIENTE
MAGAZINE. Do not reproduce
without citing this source
| . AMBIENTE ONLINE STORE |
LGBT/Latino/Hispanic Civil Rights unitycoalition.org |
Fresh-Squeezed Paradise MIAMI RIVER INN miamiriverinn.com |
CLICK to Shop |
Custom Search
Art.Accessories.style GLOSSGEAR.com |
| . MIAMI BEACH GAY PRIDE April 17,2010 |
The Art of Style, Design & Flowers |
