From Miami Caribbean Code

Our oceans are in trouble. Lionfish have overpopulated the waters and are preying on other fish. Pollution, harmful algae and rising ocean temperatures due to climate change is killing the coral reefs. And then there’s human activity like overfishing that adds to the demise of our oceans and the life contained in them. Everyone depends on oceans for something whether it’s for their food or their livelihood. And the sustainability of healthy oceans is everyone’s responsibility. Everyone everywhere can do something everyday to improve the health of our oceans. But, the Ocean Health Index, the Blue Growth Network and the Global Fishing Watch are doing much more than a little something.

OCEAN HEALTH INDEX
The Ocean Health Index is a tool used for assessing the health of oceans that help inform decisions about how to properly use and protect marine ecosystems. Made possible by more than 65 scientists, ocean experts and partnerships between relevant organizations including Sea Around Us, National Geographic and Conservation International, the index evaluates the condition of marine ecosystems measured with 10 target goals in mind, and assigns a “global index score” after an evaluation of a region on a scale of 0-100 where 100 is indicative of a target goal being met. Some of the goals Biodiversity, Coastal Protection, Clean Water, Coastal Livelihoods, Tourism and Recreation. All of the goals represent key ecological, social and economic benefits that a healthy ocean can provide. Many islands in the Caribbean have been assessed and scored. Among them are Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands which currently show both regions having an overall global index score of 60. They scored 100 in meeting the Carbon Storage goal, with a low score of 20 for the Tourism & Recreation goal. Cuba scores high for Coastal Livelihoods & Economies, 93, and Biodiversity, 83, while scoring a low 20 for the Food Provision goal. Cuba ended with an overall global index score of 61. Aruba has a global index score of 69, and scores high with a 100 for Coastal Livelihoods & Economies plus Tourism & Recreation. oceanhealthindex.org

BLUE GROWTH NETWORK
The Blue Growth Network has taken into account the effects of climate change, economic uncertainty, degradation of ecosystems and the growing competition for natural resources and how it all relates to protecting oceans as well as feeding the future. The Blue Growth Network believes ocean health is at the heart of ending poverty, fostering food security and building resistance to climate change. The goal is to improve people’s nutrition and sustainable economic growth in the midst of climate change. The support of the Blue Growth Network’s mission comes from nations, the private sector, fisheries, organizations, volunteers and more. What the Blue Growth Network does is support governments, fisherman, scientists, aquaculturists, businesses and regional and international organizations. Those in the movement will also broker partnerships between relevant peoples and organizations. The Blue Growth Network recently held their Global Blue Growth Network Conference in March in St. George’s Grenada, WI where environmental leaders met to set a 2 year agenda. Some topics presented for discussion included “Enabling Oceans and Coastal Environments,” “Fishing for a Future.” “Aquaculture” and “Scaling Up Action.” globaloceans.net

GLOBAL FISHING WATCH
Commercial fishing fleets far out to sea where no one can see what they’re doing is done and over with! In response to chronic overfishing adversely affecting oceans and ocean life, SkyTruth, Oceana and Google have partnered to create Global Fishing Watch, a web tool designed to make transparent all trackable fishing activities happening in the ocean at any time using an Automatic Identification System or AIS, and satellite data that informs anyone who wants to keep tabs on overfishing, from citizens to seafood suppliers. All that is needed to check up on and make sure fisheries are acting responsibly is an internet connection. globalfishingwatch.org

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