The Future of Fish

Having just returned from the 8th four-yearly Indo Pacific Fish Conference, which is attended by leading fish biologists from around the world, I am keen to get back in the water and see some of the species discussed at the gathering for the past week.

Unfortunately listening and talking with everyone at the conference has also brought home the dire situation of many of the world’s marine ecosystems.

There was evidence presented that coral reefs will not look the way they do today by 2050, with corals being replaced by algae due to coral bleaching, over-fishing and pollution. Some positive notes came from researchers finding new species and pristine reefs in remote areas of Asia, as well as fascinating work aimed at helping with species identification of impounded, illegally caught shark fins to assess the currently unknown impact on shark populations.

I left the conference having had a great week, but feeling that we all must do more to protect our imperiled oceans before it’s too late.

What's is store for the worlds oceans?