Leonid Baur

(S.o.S.)

Save our Seas


Did you enjoy the photos on this website? Please read this:


Ocean Pollution

Using the world’s oceans as dumping ground must stop. It is estimated that millions of tons of waste, most of it plastics, is discarded into the seas every year. This affects the oceans and us in a variety of ways. 

  • Nitrogen and phosphorus discharge trigger algae blooms that create massive dead zones in the ocean. 
  • Marine debris injures and kills marine life and poses a threat to human health. Pollution affects the food we eat. Heavy metals and other contaminants accumulates in seafood and make it harmful to eat. 

It is estimated that within 30 years, there will be more plastic in the ocean than fish (by weight).

Would you allow that to happen to a lake in the backyard of your house? 

Photo: Copyright to the owner

Photo: Copyright to the owner

Photo: Copyright to the owner

Photo: Copyright to the owner

Temperature Increases

The most critical measurement of global warming is in the oceans. In fact, “global warming” is really “ocean warming”. 

Source: NOAA, Annual global sea surface temperature anomalies from 1880-2015 with linear trend

Source: NOAA, Annual global sea surface temperature anomalies from 1880-2015 with linear trend

Photo: Copyright to the owner

Photo: Copyright to the owner

Fossil fuel burning (mainly oil, coal and natural gas) is responsible for three-quarters of the increase in CO2, the rest of it is mainly due to deforestation. The temperature of the earth depends on a balance between incoming energy from the Sun and the energy that bounces back into space. Carbon dioxide absorbs heat that would otherwise be lost to space. The negative effects of this are manifold. It affects marine life, coral reefs, nature in general and humans both on the coast and far away from it. 

Are you one of those people that do not believe that the increase in CO2 emissions are bad for our planet? Just imagine what would happen if you sat in your car, garage door closed and turned on your car’s engine. 

 

Photo: Copyright to the owner

Photo: Copyright to the owner

Unsustainable Fishing

The World’s Oceans are facing a significant destruction in the coming decades due to unsustainable plundering of the global fish reserves. 

Currently, the global fishing industry is more than three times larger than what the oceans can support. To be clearer, people are taking more fish out of the world oceans than can be replaced by the remaining fish. As a result of such an action more than half of the world fisheries are completely drained. More than a third is overexploited or recovering from depletion. 

Every single year, billions of unwanted fish and other marine animals (dolphins, marine turtles, sharks, seabirds, corals and the list goes on and on) die as a result of inefficient and, many times, illegal fishing practices.

Please purchase only MSC-certified seafood products. By doing so you are helping to encourage and reward responsible fisheries. Ask for it at your local supermarket.