It is the year 2020 and we are amidst a global pandemic. In unprecedented times like these, we often think about what the future holds. Our thoughts are directed towards the difficult times we are in, and most importantly, we find ourselves questioning when life will go back to normal. But, have we ever paused to think about how life in the ocean has changed? With almost the whole world being in lockdown, the closure of restaurants has led to the decrease in demand of fish stocks. So, does this mean that marine life is on its road to recovery?
The outbreak of COVID-19 has disrupted food supply chains. The effect of this has been seen all around the world, especially in Asia which is home to the world’s largest seafood and fish markets. (Japan Times, 2020) Since demand has dropped, markets have collapsed, and most fishing vessels remain at their respective ports. However, Carlos Duarte, a researcher from Saudi Arabia, says, “We are hoping that this unintended closed season between February and June or July will accelerate the recovery of fish stocks and allow us to reach conservation objectives faster.” (Japan Times, 2020) Duarte also claims, “While evidence of a recovery in marine life is still anecdotal, increases in the presence of mammals such as killer whales, dolphins and seals have been recorded in areas where they hadn’t been seen in decades.” (Japan Times, 2020) Success stories include humpback whales who have a population of about 40,000 today. In addition, sea otters in Western Canada have increased from dozens to thousands since 1980. (Carrington, 2020). Overall, this information proves that this “pause” in our lives is actually beneficial towards the health of the environment.
It is important to understand that complete recovery of the oceans will take time. Practices such as sustainable fishing should continue. Specific breeding sites must be allocated for fish to breed. In addition, laws must be put into place to prevent activities such as overfishing and overexploitation of fisheries. It is well-known that plastic pollution still continues to be a major problem affecting marine life, especially sea turtles and fish who consume plastic assuming it is food. Furthermore, global heating due to climate change is one of the biggest threats and continues to alter ocean chemistry.
It is in our hands to be responsible for our actions towards the environment. This pandemic certainly brings hope for marine ecosystems to thrive. However, when life goes back to normal, we must allow the environment to heal so that it is a better place for us and our future generations to live in.
Written by: Tanishka Mehta