In the South China Sea, the ocean ecosystem is at stake. Fishermen from China have increased their poaching of giant clams, drastically damaging the coral reef systems in the South China Sea. By poaching the clams, this takes away the key food source for sea turtles, who play a major role in maintaining the coral reef ecosystem. Along with poaching, China has begun island building to increase their usable land, but island building means completely obliterating acres of coral reefs with mountains of sand. Coral reefs provide homes, breeding grounds, and feeding ground for thousands of species, and without a healthy coral reef, the ocean will suffer. Biologist Ed Gomez using data from ecologist Rudolf de Groot estimated that those who rely on the fishing from the South China Sea would see 5.7 billion a year in potential economic loss because of reef destruction. China not only has been found guilty of clam poaching rare species and damaging the coral reefs their people rely on for food, along with nations like Japan and the Philippines, Chinese fishing boats have been seen with hoards of live, and dead sharks, for finning purposes. The destruction of coral reefs by destroying the populations of giant clams means trouble for the world. Coral reefs play one of the most important roles in healthy oceans, they are the basis for the majority of marine ecosystems, and without them, fishing economies all over the world will suffer. Aside from just economies, without healthy oceans, we cannot take the steps to have a healthier planet. http://news.nationalgeographic.com/2016/08/wildlife-giant-clam-poaching-south-china-sea-destruction/ |