聯合國環境規劃署在剛出版的報告中警告，氣候變遷對原本已受污染、外來種入侵和濫捕所害的魚種，更是雪上加霜。
根據研究報告，10-15%海洋受氣候變遷影響甚鉅，遠超過先前估計；而且受影響的區域正是「全球重要漁場」，包括當前最有經濟價值漁場的7.5%。聯合國緊急應變小組為此提出另一份報告，名為《 死水之中》(In Dead Wate)，首次具體揭示這些環境危害因子對海洋造成的多重衝擊。
這項計畫由環境規劃署學者和歐美科學家合作，在聯合國環境規劃署全球部長級環境論壇最後一天的議程中公佈這份報告。緊急應變小組召集人內曼博士認為：「許多研究不斷提出證據，海洋溫度上升改變了海洋生物的分布狀況。」東北大西洋浮游生物記錄，顯示部份海洋生物的變遷，如溫暖水域的橈足動物在20世紀下半葉已往北遷移1000公里，目前仍在持續遷移中。
報告也指出，氣候變遷改變環流之後，全世界主要漁場至少75%將受到連帶影響。環流是海洋的自然幫浦系統，將養分帶入漁場，同時旋出廢棄物和污染物。接下來十年中，海平面溫度上升將破壞全球八成珊瑚礁。
穩定成長的大氣二氧化碳濃度則逐漸引起顧慮，倘若海洋溶解更高濃度的二氧化碳，海水酸化將產生負面效應。隨著海洋受都市和農業區污染日益嚴重，「死海區」(低氧或無氧海域)面積也愈益擴張；從2003年至今，暫時或永久死海區已從150增加到200個。
氣候變遷以外，報告並指出漁場承受的濫捕壓力：超過八成主要魚種已經超過或接近適宜撈捕的負載量。現在的先進撈捕科技，使得漁獲已經超過永續漁獲量的2.5倍之多。「氣候變遷威脅沿海基礎建設、食物和飲水供應，並影響全球居民健康。」UNEP執行主任史坦納(Achim Steiner)認為︰「這份報告和其他研究同樣明白指出，氣候變遷將嚴重影響魚類資源。這不僅是環境議題，同時也是國家發展和經濟議題；數百萬人民(包括開發中國家)以捕魚維生，約有26億人民以魚類為主要蛋白質來源。」
Climate change is threatening the world's fish populations, already stressed by pollution, alien infestations and over-exploitation, warns a new report by the United Nations Environment Programme, UNEP.
The worst impacts are concentrated in 10 to 15 percent of the oceans, a far greater area than previously believed. These locations are "concurrent with today's most important fishing grounds," the report documents, including the 7.5 percent of the oceans that are the most economically valuable fishing areas of the world.
The findings come in a rapid response report entitled "In Dead Water," which for the first time maps the multiple impacts of these stressors on the seas and oceans.
The work of UNEP scientists in collaboration with universities and institutes in Europe and the United States, the report was presented today during the final day of UNEP's Governing Council/Global Ministerial Environment Forum in Monaco.
Dr. Christian Nellemann, head of the rapid response team that compiled the report, said, "We are already seeing evidence from a number of studies that increasing sea temperatures are causing changes in the distribution of marine life."
Some of these ocean changes are documented in the Continuous Plankton Recorder survey of the Northeast Atlantic. Warmer water species of tiny animals called copepods have moved northward by around 1,000 kilometers during the second half of the 20th century, with the patterns continuing into the 21st century, the survey shows.
The report shows that at least 75 percent of the world's key fishing grounds may be affected by changes in the circulation of ocean water as climate change interferes with the ocean's natural pumping systems. These natural pumps bring nutrients to fisheries and keep them healthy by flushing out wastes and pollution.
Higher sea surface temperatures over the coming decades also threaten to bleach and kill up to 80 percent of the world's coral reefs.
There also is growing concern that the atmospheric concentration of carbon dioxide, CO2, is steadily rising, and oceans directly assimilate CO2. As ocean concentration of CO2 increases, the oceans automatically become more acidic.
Dead zones, ocean areas low in oxygen, are increasing as a result of pollution from urban and agriculture areas. There are an estimated 200 temporary or permanent dead zones up from around 150 in 2003, the UNEP report shows.
In addition to the climate stress, fishing pressure is relentless. Up to 80 percent of the world's primary fish catch species are exploited beyond or close to their harvesting capacity, according to the report. Advances in technology, alongside subsidies, means the world's fishing capacity is 2.5 times bigger than that needed to sustainably harvest fisheries.
"Climate change threatens coastal infrastructure, food and water supplies and the health of people across the world," said UNEP Executive Director Achim Steiner. "It is clear from this report and others that it will add significantly to pressures on fish stocks." "This is as much a development and economic issue as it is an environmental one," he said. "Millions of people, including many in developing countries, derive their livelihoods from fishing, while around 2.6 billion people get their protein from seafood."
The report, "In Dead Water: Merging of climate change with pollution, over-harvest, and infestations in the world's fishing grounds," is online at: www.unep.org
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In my healing journey and learning to attain the breath awareness, I become aware of the reality that all the creatures of the world are breathing the same breath. Take action, here and now. From my physical being to the every corner of this out of balance's planet.
