Something that got us pondering of late in Japan is the effect on the Tohoku earthquake and tsunami. One particular topic is wildlife in the ocean and what radiation would mean for the waters that are shared worldwide. It’s already difficult as it is to sustain life in ocean because of various harmful affects from modern day living. One persistent problem is the endangered ocean animals. It is difficult to tell how the entire fish population is doing in the world. Of the 30,000 known fish species, 10 percent are endangered animals in the ocean. Almost half of those surveyed are already considered endangered.
The main reason for the decline of the population of fish is overfishing, next is habitat loss then pollution. Coelacanth and bizarre small tooth sawfish, some of the world’s unique fish are on the brink of extinction.
So if you like eating fish, you must know which one to order with the use of the Consumer Guide to Overfishing. Through this, you will be ordering the fishes that are considered endangered.
Here is a list of fishes that you must help to protect because they are already on the brink of extinction:
1. The Andean Catfish is a nocturnal fish that can find food at night with the help of the barbels found around its mouth serving as high sensitive taste buds.
2. The Angel Shark is like a ray; it stays in the mud and silt of the seabed almost all the time.
3. There is not much Borneo sharks anymore. These sharks can be found usually in the shallow waters of the coasts of the South Pacific Ocean.
4. Coelacanth is considered to be a living fossil. This is because it is one of the surviving species of its kind that died during the age when the dinosaurs died.
5. The Lost River Sucker is a fish that has a very long life. Its lifespan can reach up to 40 years old and more.
6. The Mekong Freshwater Stingray is considered as one of the biggest fish in the whole world.
7. The Mekong Giant Catfish are freshwater fish that has sizes that can be as large as grizzly bears.
8. The Nassau Grouper can be found in places such as the Gulf of Mexico, the Caribbean Sea, western Atlantic Ocean and Florida Keys.
9. The Russian Sturgeon is a fish that has a large built. It is bony and it can reach to a length of more than 6 feet.
10. The Small tooth Sawfish is a fish that is long and sleek. You can find this kind of fish in shallow coastal areas and estuarine waters.
The International Union for Conservation of Nature’s red list has 368 species on their list that are considered endangered or are threatened to be endangered. In the list, 95 are already endangered and 41 are on a critical stage of being endangered. Some of the endangered marine species are the Loggerhead turtle, the hooded seal, and of course the blue whale. These marine species are becoming endangered because of hunters. However, hunters are not the only reason why they are endangered, other reasons why they are endangered are:
1. Climate change is one of the reasons why they are endangered because if the water becomes warm due to the climate change, then there will be less oxygen in the water.
2. Because of the climate change, the chemistry and the currents in the ocean are also affected, and this will also indirectly affect the entire population of the ocean life.
3. Other reasons are overfishing and pollution. Almost ¾ of the population of fish in the waters are overfished and pollution may create bacteria that deplete oxygen in the water.
These things should be avoided, there should be proper action from the people so that these endangered species will be saved and the next generation may still be able to see them.
Reference: Illustrated Encyclopedia of endangered animals.
