Marine Life On The Decline

Population of marine mammals, birds, fish, and reptiles have declined by 49% since 1970, says report.

19:00 18 September 2015

A document prepared by the World Wildlife and the Zoological Society of London revealed that the population of marine mammals, birds, fish and reptiles has dropped by 49per cent since 1970 while populations of tuna and mackerel declined by 74per cent due to overfishing and climate change. The number of sea cucumbers, on the other hand, dropped by 98per cent in the Galapagos and 94per cent in the Red Sea over the past few years.

 

Marco Lambertini, head of WWF International, said: "Human activity has severely damaged the ocean by catching fish faster than they can reproduce while also destroying their nurseries.”

 

The authors analysed more than 1,200 species of marine creatures in the past 45 years.