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CURRENT STATE OF OUR OCEANS

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On a planet where 71 percent of the surface is covered by water, the oceans are critical for life itself. They feed us, regulate our weather patterns, provide over half the oxygen that we breathe, and contribute to our energy and economy.

An estimated 350 million jobs globally are linked to the oceans.

One billion people living in developing countries depend on fish as their primary source of protein.

There is five times more carbon stored in coastal habitats than in tropical forests.

Eighty-five percent of the world’s fisheries are categorized as either “fully exploited,” “overexploited,” or “depleted.”

Ninety percent of sharks and big fish in the oceans are gone.

Climate change threatens coastal communities worldwide.

Less than 2 percent of the oceans is legally protected in parks and reserves, compared to 12 percent of land areas globally.

Less than 5 percent of the ocean floor and the waters beneath the surface have been explored and mapped in a level of detail similar to what already exists for the dark side of the moon, for Mars, and for Venus.

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ENTER CITIZEN SCIENCE

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