DID YOU KNOW that May is the “Month of the Ocean”? This annual observance seeks to focus the public’s attention to issues and concerns about the ocean – the quality of its water, the marine life in it and how to protect and preserve its bounties for the good of all.
Recently the International Pollutants Elimination and the National Toxics Network of Australia published the report “Aquatic Pollutants in Oceans and Fisheries” that documents the science and numerous ways in which chemicals compromise reproduction, development, and immune systems among aquatic and marine organisms. To put it in another way, chemical pollution has adverse impacts to dwindling fishery production.
What’s in it for us, Filipinos?
As a fishing-dependent and archipelagic nation, it is incumbent on us to insist and support global and local action that will prevent and control chemical and waste pollution from all sources, which is making the ocean ecosystems sick and incapable of meeting the huge demand for fish. We need healthy oceans and fisheries to ensure our people’s food security and nutrition.
Many people think fish declines are just the result of overfishing. In fact, the entire aquatic food web has been seriously compromised, with fewer and fewer fish at the top, losses of invertebrates in the sediments and water column, less healthy marine algae, coral, and other habitats, as well as a proliferation of bacteria and toxic algal blooms. Chemical pollution, along with climate change, itself a pollution consequence, are the chief reasons for these losses.
Decision-makers from all branches of government must realize the critical juncture we are in and exercise the urgent political will to ensure a safe and healthy environment for all. Our laws are not lacking in addressing impacts of chemical including plastics pollution that destroys the health of our people and our oceans, but, there still is much foot-dragging in performing the mandates of their office. We hope this scientific report can be among the wake-up calls for all to prioritize health and act in solidarity now as our enduring gift to our present and future generations.
Pollutants, including industrial chemicals, pesticides, pharmaceuticals, heavy metals, plastics and microplastics, have deleterious impacts to aquatic ecosystems at all trophic levels from plankton to whales. Let it be said: overfishing is not the sole cause of fishery declines. The production and use of chemicals have grown exponentially over the past couple of decades. If we do not address this problem, we will face permanent damage to the marine and aquatic environments that have nourished humans and every other life form since the beginning of time.
We are at the precipice of disaster, but we do have an opportunity for recovery. The out-of-control expansion of the polluters – the oil, gas, plastics, and chemical sectors – needs to be reined in.
