By: Dwight Links
Producing 70% of the Earth’s oxygen, covering more than 70% of the Earth’s surface, holding 96% of all water on the planet, and regulating the Earth’s climate; beyond such roles, the ocean also supports economic activities.
This is according to the director of marine ecosystems within the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water & Land Reform, Graça D’Almeida.
She presented at the recent World Oceans Day celebrations in Windhoek.
D’Almeida noted that humanity’s relationship with the ocean has not always been the best, with 35.5% of assessed marine fish stocks classified as overexploited or over-fished.
While a large number of fish stocks are said not to be unassessed, D’Almedia explained.
According to her, not all countries have the funds to conduct the needed research to ensure the sustainable use of this resource.
Coral reefs, which form part of the underwater ecosystems of the world, have also been impacted, as shown by recent assessments by global climate agencies looking at what the global oceans are experiencing under the climate strain placed on them.
“50% of the Coral reefs around the world have been lost or damaged in the past 40 years. And these reefs provide shelter for over 30% of marine species,” according to the Coral Reef Alliance.
Warmer temperatures are also considered a risk factor for the reefs.
“Some scientists predict that 90% of global reefs will experience severe bleaching annually by 2055,” shares the Alliance.
“Most corals have a narrow temperature tolerance. When temperatures become too warm, corals will expel the symbiotic algae (zooxanthellae) that live inside them, causing them to turn white and lose an important food source,” it further explains.
According to the Alliance, if the bleaching continues for long periods, “they become more vulnerable to disease and will eventually die if the marine heatwave lasts too long, even though corals can survive a bleaching event.”
Over-tourism is also another component that D’Almeida outlined as a contributing factor to the damage.
D’Almeida noted that Namibia still struggles with the Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing.
“This is usually conducted by industrial fishing. We still have unregulated over-tourism which has devastating effects on the fish,” she added.
According to the International Maritime Organisation (IMO), illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing remains one of the greatest threats to marine ecosystems due to its potent ability to undermine national and regional efforts to conserve and manage fish stocks.
“IUU fishing takes advantage of corruption and exploits weak management regimes, in particular those of countries lacking the capacity and resources for effective monitoring, control, and surveillance (MCS),” the IMO states.
The IMO says that IUU fishing threatens marine biodiversity, livelihoods, exacerbates poverty, and augments food insecurity.
The focus of the international community remains on IUU fishing as a serious issue for the global fishing sector that negatively impacts safety, environmental matters, conservation and sustainability.
According to the director, Namibia does not have fisheries communities, but cited that there are examples of these communities around the continent, such as in Tanzania.
D’Almeida indicated that the oceans are also the latest frontier for all renewable energy developments, from green industries like the Green Hydrogen Programme in Namibia, to other places around the world that have installed wind, tidal and wave technology to generate energy from the resource.
“This is as places in Namibia like Lüderitz and Walvis Bay pose great opportunities for similar developments. The world is moving away from non-renewable energy resources,” D’Almeida noted.
Another frontier cited by the director is that of for marine biodiversity being utilised for medical research and industrial materials.
“In Namibia we have four main sectors affiliated to the ocean economy: diamond mining, offshore, transport, and tourism. But minerals will be exhausted as diamonds are now being produced in the labs,” the director noted.
