Why Miami’s Marine Life Is Worth Protecting
As Theodore Roosevelt once said, “Our wildlife cannot speak for itself, so we must and we will.” The state of our environment is an expression of how we treat the animals and nature around us. It is important to show our love and respect for non-human life on this planet because their survival is vital to our ability to live as well. Thus, we share a huge responsibility for the earth and the environment. Marine life advocacy is crucial if we want our world to continue to thrive in the years to come. Here is why Miami’s marine life is worth protecting.
A Growing World In Need
According to Friend of the Seas, our survival is dependent on the oceans. The world’s population continues to grow, with 60 percent of the global population living in coastal areas. Furthermore, it is expected to reach 9.1 billion by 2050, a 34 percent increase from our current day. To feed everyone, food production has to increase by 70 percent. Additionally, the declining productivity of natural fisheries means that aquaculture is becoming more vital in meeting this demand. The seas, and their marine life, are a source of income and nutrition for hundreds of millions of people. Thus, it is important to implement sustainable development goals to manage our marine life and the valuable resources they provide for us. Additionally, the global demand for seafood products continues to grow rapidly, approximately twice as fast as the human population growth. Therefore, sustainable management of aquatic resources is the only way to conserve marine life, consequently ensuring a future for the human consumption of seafood products. Because of all these factors, it is important to protect marine life and contribute to the growth of sustainable agriculture.
The Benefits For Humanity
As the Save Our Seas Foundation emphasizes, the protection of marine life has the potential for huge economic benefits as well. For example, the worldwide value of the trade-in manta gill plates for use as a pseudo-remedy in traditional medicine is approximately $11million annually. Additionally, $140 million comes from tourists who want to see manta rays for themselves. Similarly, the oceans and marine life are vital for our survival, as they absorb large amounts of human-produced carbon dioxide, provide much of our animal protein, provide products that can be of use in medicine, and are a buffer against natural disaster-related harm.
A Call for Commitment
Commitment is evidence of our love for others and is vital to achieving any goal or purpose. Though it may not be easy and requires perseverance, it can be done. We must commit ourselves to our marine life, both for their benefit and our own. By doing so, we can show our care for them and ourselves. We must stand up and speak volumes for them, for they cannot do it themselves. This demonstration of love and kindness will bring more peace, joy, and comfort to our world and its inhabitants. Furthermore, it shows an appreciation for our future. A first step was done by the City of Miami in Dec 2019 and the partnership with Ocean Conservancy, a nonprofit working on ocean conservation. “Ocean Conservancy’s commitment to helping the City advance comprehensive solutions for the long-term health of our waters is a vital component to safeguard our natural assets as part of our larger resiliency efforts”, said Miami Mayor Francis Suarez.
