The plight of the orange roughy is just one of the issues highlighted in a report, released today, into the parlous state of the UK marine environment. The Marine Health Check, produced by WWF, singles out ten species which were once common in the waters around the country but which have been plunged into rapid decline. Through either climate change, pollution or over-fishing, or a combination of two or all three factors, marine species ranging from the microscopic to the largest mammals are at risk. Using the latest scientific data, the report also highlights the threats posed to six different marine habitats in UK waters, from mud flats to reefs. Taken together, the results paint a disturbing picture of a UK marine environment which is under severe threat.
Action needs to be taken now, before it s too late.
Perhaps the most worrying finding of the report related to the tiniest of species studied, plankton. Plankton is composed of myriad different species including microscopic plants and animals. It is at the base of the food chain, and the entire workings of the world s oceans are almost exclusively dependent upon it. In the space of just ten years, the range and type of fish in the North Atlantic have changed, according to the report. There has been an increase in stocks of horse mackerel, while tuna are caught in UK waters on a regular basis.