The oceans are recognized for their major contribution to fisheries and aquaculture, which provide food for hundreds of millions of people around the world every day. The oceans are the aquatic environments where aquaculture takes place, providing the necessary, high-value ingredients for aquaculture feed.
World Ocean Day, celebrated every year on June 8, is a global movement to celebrate the ocean and raise awareness of the threats it faces. Our oceans are the lifeblood of our planet. They produce half the oxygen we breathe, regulate the climate and provide crucial resources for food and livelihoods. Yet pollution, overfishing and climate change are taking their toll.
Pollution, overfishing and climate change are having devastating effects on the health of the oceans. Plastic pollution is a major concern, with millions of tonnes of plastic ending up in the oceans every year. Overfishing depletes fish populations and upsets the delicate balance of marine ecosystems. Climate change is causing ocean acidification, which harms marine life, and rising sea levels threaten coastal communities.
The international community is increasingly aware of the shortcomings of existing fisheries and aquaculture management frameworks, and that smarter regulations and new technologies are needed to improve sustainability and productivity in the oceans that should normally be protected and preserved.
