Oceans Can Feed the World

A new tact (relatively speaking) for saving the oceans from Oceana at the World Oceans Summit -- feed people.

Frankly, these global events seem to generate a lot of talk but little action.  Amazing how many people like to hear themselves talk.

Maybe framing the oceans in terms of a solution to feed the world will spur some action.  It is no small idea, but with over a billion people going to bed hungry every day, it could resonate. 

Ted Danson explains the thinking here in the Huff Post:

"The reality is that there will be 9 billion of us by 2050. The planetary pressures of this 34-percent population increase over 2009 levels will be magnified by an expected, general rise in the standard of living. Experts estimate that people's demand for food will grow 70 percent over current levels. How are we going to feed everyone?

The oceans can play a big part of the solution. Wild seafood has huge advantages over terrestrial livestock. It is cheaper to produce per pound. It requires no land. It is much more CO2-efficient. It uses only trivial amounts of fresh water (in processing).

On a global basis, a fully productive ocean could provide the entire animal protein diet for a billion people, or 13 to 15 percent of the animal protein produced on the entire planet. However, too often, plans for how feed in the world in the future overlook the ocean's potential vital role in feeding humanity for many years to come."

Naturally, if the oceans are to feed the world, it would have be done sustainably.  The health of the oceans depends on it, and as the oceans go, we go.