The Destruction of Life in the Sea and on Sea Islands
For thousands of years, people have overexploited and even exterminated marine fish, bird and mammals. At first overfishing and overhunting were local but as sailing and then steam technology evolved, more and more populations were reduced
or eliminated directly or indirectly through the introduction of pests or land clearance.
Birds
Some of the most extreme bouts of extinctions happened to birds on oceanic islands. On Madagascar the elephant birds species all vanished. On New Zealand the
moas disappeared.
On hundreds of smaller islands, sea birds perished at the hands
of eggers or were destroyed by rats.
Mammals
In the last century, seals and sea lions were hunted with such determination that sealing largely failed because no more seals were to be found. Guadualupe fur seals
and elephant seals were reduced to perhaps
less than a hundred animals;
several species remain rare as a consequence of the oilers and fur hunters.
Fish
The list of fisheries damaged by people is long. Most recently, despite the existence
of scientific experts and managers, two of the most important fisheries in human history and prehistory have virtually ended--cod
and salmon--the victims of overfishing and reckless development. Now the United States and Canadian governments advise us that some more destruction will be necessary. To help the salmon and cod we will have to destroy some seals and sea lions. No hard evidence supports these proposals; the seals are classic scapegoats. No government figure asks whether more destruction in
the marine enviroment is what people want.
Is more destruction the solution to the problem of destruction?
Isn't it rather restraint that we need to restore the seas?
Please write your federal and
state representatives to express your views.
Restoration First!
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