There are more fish in our oceans these days and healthier ecosystems—the likes of which we have not seen since the 1940s and 1950s, just before rampant efforts by bigger, more powerful international fishing industry behemoths began to devastate various populations of sea life. During the 80-year interim, it’s little wonder why recreational activities like surfing, diving, bodyboarding, kayaking, and swimming exploded in popularity, especially once large sharks were much less of a common threat, the apex predators having been significantly reduced in numbers.

But the human revels that have come to be taken for granted as cultural mainstays of water-sport have got to be reconsidered, now that responsible conservation has replenished most of the world’s oceans with an abundance of sea life and surging populations of hungry sharks that are ready to play their natural part in the “circle of life.” This piece from CBS news does a fine job in terms of pinpointing the need for human beings who love the water to readjust their perspectives—and their behaviors—after nearly a century of enjoying relative safety due to previous (and ultimately harmful) imbalances. This is the first popular news piece I have seen that articulates this stark reality in such a manner. Love it.

The sea is a wilderness and humans who now intrude into such wilds without due caution and awareness of their surroundings have got to suck it up and modify their activities accordingly. We had things fairly easy for a hundred years when it comes to being freewheeling water-babies, folks. The time has come to take stock of our proper place when interacting with ecosystems that have regained much of the vibrance we once brazenly destroyed.

————-

#conservation #ecosystems #greatwhitesharks #marinelife #marinebiology #sharkpopulations #cbsnews #recreation #oceans #recalibration #changingperspectives #AuthorJonathanKieran #JonathanKieran #WriterJonathanKieran #CaliforniaLife #OnTheEdge #Wistwood #JonathanKieranTheAuthor #JonathanKieranMusic #JonathanKieranNewAlbum #JonathanKieranArtist #Jericho #JonathanKieranJericho #JerichoAlbum #WritersOfInstagram