Antarctic Sea is now the world’s largest marine protected area

     The high seas or open oceans compose 45% of our planet and is home to 25% of the Emperor penguins and 40% of Killer Whales; however, a study directed by National Geographic predicted that if fishing rates continue apace, all the world’s fisheries will have collapsed by the year 2048.  Due to overfishing habits of fisheries, the open oceans needed protection to prevent the 16,000 different species of plants and animals from becoming threatened or endangered.

     Lewis Pugh, the main advocate, and leader in protecting a large portion of the high seas known as the Ross Sea launched a campaign to protect the Ross sea in Antarctica. As of October 28, 2016, Pugh’s campaign with the help from the commission for the conservation of Antarctic Marine living resources became successful. They managed to preserve 598,000 square miles of the Ross sea and protect the different species of plants and animals that thrive there. Pugh states, “for me this is an issue about justice- justice between generations. There seems to be something fundamentally wrong with us destroying our oceans so our children and grandchildren have absolutely nothing.” Not only is this is the largest protection site in the open oceans but it is a push in the right direction to save our oceans from competitive fisheries.  Along with the accomplishments of Pugh and his team, there has been other recent actions taken to sustain our oceans. President Obama plans to expand the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument located off the coast of Hawaii.

     Although our society is dependent on the oceans for food supply, the fis hing practices used today are unsustainable. If stricted laws are not put in place or enforced fisheries will leave our oceans empty within the next few years. The Ross  Sea reserve, now the largest marine protected area, shows that there is hope in restoring our oceans and protecting the wildlife that depends on them.