Blue Ocean Institute

I think that we all know that the resources in our oceans are changing every year, if not every day. Overfishing, depletion of species, waste, plastics...all of these things contribute to a scenario of impending doom...if we continue on this path, our oceans will no longer be able to support not only the life that they contain but the lives that depend on it.

I think one of the more disturbing stories I've read of late is one that appeared in the New York Times. In this story, the author compares the difference in resource levels (tangible and non-tangible) over the past 50 years by showing a video of observations made from a raft (very interesting, imho). The article, which appeared in the dot earth blog of the New York Times, provides real data on a topic that we all should remind ourselves about.

Blue Ocean Institute is a not for profit organization that fosters education and outreach in an effort to educate people on the resources of the ocean. I learned about the institute while reading an article on sustainable seafood in the Utne Reader. The Institute offers a lots of sea related information like which types of fish are okay to eat; it even offers a text messaging service to send you reminders on what to eat when you go out to restaurants.

As fisher "people," we have an obligation to respect the sea. As consumers, we have a responsibility to make choices that are in our best interest, as well as for the greater good.

Think about it - if we stop depleting our resources (by overfishing our oceans), there will always be "plenty of fish in the sea." If we continue on this path, we will be passing our empty oceans onto future generations. Did our ancestors treat us with such disregard?

Sometimes, History Repeats Itself

Last year, I went to Richmond. My best friend Amber and I hiked along the James River. This is when I learned the story of the Snakefish, a fish that looks like an eel, swims like a fish, and has the capability to walk on land. This makes the fish more like an amphibian than an actual fish!

In today's issue of the New York Times, it appears that there is a team of scientists who have been studying the archaelogical remains of some of the the first fish that transitioned into creatures resembling amphibians.

We live in awesome times with awesome research tools and technologies!