A week or so ago, I saw a newspaper article talking about the "dead zone" in the Gulf of Mexico partially due to the runoff of farmer's fertilizer. As you may already know, that's not the only body of water that is being destroyed. Ocean's End by Colin Woodard (363.7394 WOO) discusses the gulf, as well as other problem areas.
The author is very upset when he went to the Black Sea, which used to be a big vacation spot for tourists. Now that business has dried up, because of the awful polution in the Black Sea. Heavy population along the Danube River, and the rerouting of it for providing energy has damaged the rivers ability to remove waste before it drains into the Black Sea. This place used to be popular for swimming; now the sea's covered in sewage and smells awful. Woodard calls it a "dead sea" because all of the native marine life has been pretty much killed off. Unfortunately, like so many other locations, non-native, invasive species have taken over.
Another area he investigates is off the coast of Newfoundland. He spends time there, checking out the major industry - the fishing industry. There are all types of fish caught and processed, but the big one is cod. Cod is a hardy fish that survives in several locations around the world - some hot, some cold. He witnessed fishing nets that are larger than many ocean vessels dragging in the water, catching an incredible number of fish at one time. This overfishing is occuring too quickly for nature to replenish the stock.
Woodard also talks about the decline of the coral reef off Belize. Another chapters deals with the plight of the Republic of the Marshall Islands which is slowing becoming engulfed by the rising sea level.
c Waterloo Public Library 2008
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