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Phoenix666 [soylentnews.org] writes:

The World Wildlife Foundation 2015 report states [cloudfront.net]:

The marine Living Planet Index (LPI) presented here is roughly in line with the global LPI, which shows a 52 per cent decline in vertebrate populations since 1970. That alone should set off alarm bells. But it’s what’s hidden in the overall marine LPI that foretells an impending social and economic crisis.

When we look at the fish species most directly tied to human well-being – the fish that constitute up to 60 per cent of protein intake in coastal countries, supporting millions of small-scale fishers as well as a global multibillion-dollar industry – we see populations in a nosedive. The habitats they depend on, such as coral reefs, mangroves and seagrasses, are equally threatened.

The picture is now clearer than ever: humanity is collectively mismanaging the ocean to the brink of collapse. Considering the ocean’s vital role in our economies and its essential contribution to food security – particularly for poor, coastal communities – that’s simply unacceptable. Could the economic implications of the collapse of the ocean’s ecosystems trigger the next global recession or undermine the progress we have made on eradicating poverty?

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