Coastal communities globally are facing a crisis to their marine life resources which threatens their main source of food. Marine life resources are an essential food supply for many coastal populations. Before colonization, coastal communities understood how to responsibly and sustainably treat the land and ocean that they inhabit. Research on the local people of Oceania revealed that their communities learned and developed skills to understand the migration patterns of the fish they harvested. These skills allowed Oceanic people to conserve and source their food in a sustainable way that ensured having food in their future (Friedlander, para.2). After colonization and the development of a cash economy, the practices of how to safely harvest fish in many coastal communities, has diminished. Globalization has led to new technologies, more interconnectedness, and a growing demand for marine life animals in global markets. Contrary to popular belief, globalization is causing devastating effects of diminishing marine life food resources in vulnerable coastal communities.
The negative contributions of globalization on coastal communities’ has led to threats to their marine life food. Due to globalization, the increasing global demand for seafood is leading to overfishing. This poses a serious threat to the livelihoods of marine life. Overharvesting can lead to depleted species and disrupt entire ecosystems (Creel, para.12). When specific species of fish are overharvested, they cannot replenish themselves. This disrupts the ecosystem in the ocean because certain fish and marine life rely on others in the food chain. This will lead to fish not having the ability to sustain themselves. Ultimately, the local people are left with a diminished amount of seafood. Another consequence of overfishing is bycatching (WWF, para.2). With new technologies making fishing easier, other animals not intended for harvesting are caught. For example, “Modern trawling equipment scoops through sediment and rock and often kills the worms, sponges, and other species that live on the seafloor ” (Creel, para.12 ). This can lead to many marine life being captured accidentally leading to a greater loss of marine life in coastal communities. Globalization has led to overly efficient technologies becoming easily attainable for anyone. With advanced fishing technology used to meet the demand for seafood and overfishing, marine life resources ecosystems are disrupted.
Coastal development is affecting the population of marine life and interfering with their ecosystem. In a globalized world, with an increasing population, urbanization and coastal developments continue to rise around coastal areas. A consequence of continued coastal development is habitat degradation, in which a habitat is destroyed and can no longer support the animals it provides habitat for. For example, species who depend on a certain habitat for their life cycle can lead to a decline in the population of a variety of fish. (Sundblad and Bergstrom, para.2). As coastal development continues, there will be a rise in disruptions to fish populations and entire ecosystems. In a study a Great Barrier Reef Marine Park authority ,Donna Audas, explains that pollution from coastal development like waste or oil spills can no longer be cleaned out naturally by mangroves because of the degradation in coastal areas. In turn, fish go to small fish nurseries but cannot survive because it is not the right environment for them (qtd. in Ocean Mimic). Many coastal communities rely on certain fish for food but also for the economy of their regions. A disruption in the life cycle of fish causes disruption to their populations and can lead to failed ecosystems. Therefore, any effect to a certain species can quickly affect another species of fish.
Pollution and climate change are altering fish availability and health. Globalization creates a higher production of goods and increased transportation of goods. Higher amounts of fossil fuels are being emitted into the air because of increased use of trains, boats, and factories. The fossil fuels contain CO2 which contributes to the Earth’s temperature increasing. Small island developing states (SIDS) are facing the consequences of the ocean heating up. It is reported that, “SIDSs bear the least responsibility for climate change among all nations, contributing less than 1% to greenhouse gas emissions, yet they are likely to be severely adversely affected by climate change” ( Yang et la, para.2.2 ). Because globalization benefits larger states such as the United States and China, who are also the highest emitters of fossil fuels, it leads to vulnerable places such as SIDS and other coastal communities, experiencing the side effects of global warming. Climate change causes oceanic warming and acidification, which can lead to changes in the physiology, reproduction, and development of marine life animals and relations among species like their habitats and the food chain (Michel and Sticklor, para.8 ). A report in Latin America shows that several countries are facing the consequence of carbon emissions causing ocean acidity to rise which is affecting the development of bone structure in fish. In the Caribbean, the seawater saturation of calcium carbonate has declined three percent per decade affecting the ability of shellfish and coral to build their bone structure. In Chile, cultured scallops have a twenty-five percent reduction in growth (para.3 IUCN). The example from Latin America further proves that the effects of climate change, like rising CO2 levels from globalization, are altering the ways that marine life can sustain itself.
Coastal communities are becoming more vulnerable as marine-life resources are being threatened. Due to globalization, many coastal communities may not be able to sustain their diets in the future. In Oceania for instance, “It is estimated that coastal fisheries of most countries and territories in the region will not meet their food security needs by 2030 due to population growth, overfishing, reduced productivity because of climate change, and inadequate national distribution networks” (Friedlander, para.5 ). It is not an estimation, but a fact that coastal communities will not have the seafood they rely on as their main source of protein and meals. An example regarding coastal communities concludes, “In 2019 aquatic foods provided about 3.3 billion people with at least 20 percent of their average intake of animal protein, with an even higher proportion in many poor countries (World bank, para.5). Seafood provides a main source of protein for many coastal community populations globally. Ultimately, overfishing and ocean acidification is leading to diminished marine life food resources.
In addition, there is an increase in microplastics and pollution in marine life which has unknown health concerns. Microplastics are broken down small pieces of plastic that can be found on land and bodies of water. When fish eat microplastics in the ocean, it becomes a part of their tissues. As the food chain progresses, microplastics can then be found in the tissue in the bigger fish (National Geographic, para.4). For example, an analysis from a case study regarding microplastics states, “Microplastics have already been found in coastal environments and marine life animals and could lead to coastal communities being exposed to microplastics in their diets ( Hantoro I et la, para.13). This endangers coastal communities because the food they rely on contains plastics, which harms human health. Another threat is forever chemicals, in particular persistent organic pollutants. This type of pollutant can travel into the water and can contaminate fish and other marine life. A reporter, Anna Turns, conducts news reporting on the Faroe Islands where women found toxic industrial chemicals in their breast milk from eating harvested whales containing forever chemicals. The reporter states, PCBs, part of a group of toxic chemicals called persistent organic pollutants (POPs), are able to travel huge distances around the planet through air and water, affecting communities far away from the source of contamination (para.4). POPS act as a serious health risk to many coastal communities which will result in contaminated food. The PCBs found in Anna Turn’s news report is a toxic chemical used for industrial means. This toxic chemical is linked to negative effects on the immune systems of animals and people, endocrine disruption, reduced fertility, neurodevelopmental problems and reduced IQ in children (para.9). With microplastics and PCBs on the rise and only 17% of PCBs being wiped out leaving 83% still in the atmosphere (para.13), this makes coastal communities vulnerable and without a stable food source. Many coastal communities will risk health declines because of marine life containing forever chemicals.
Due to the vulnerability of coastal communities’ marine life, relocation for many communities may become the only option. Given the evidence of marine life resources diminishing, relocation may be in the future of many coastal populations. Relocating could include moving more inland or moving overseas to a less vulnerable environment (Nunn and Kumar, para. 3.3). Moving to a city or another country overseas can also be very costly for many coastal peoples who may not have the means to relocate. Having to move from their home is unfair given that the effects of globalization that is harming their home is a result of the actions from other states and not the locals themselves.
It can be argued that the connections from globalization along with aid from developed states can help through modern technologies, aid organizations, and improved island management to help vulnerable coastal communities. For example, a study shows that “While common policies and environmental cooperations could exist for SIDSs, since 1882, more than 100 countries have signed nearly 270 multilateral treaties related to marine resource management” (Chen et la, para. 3.2). With the connections from globalization, bigger states and their institutions such as United Nations programs and other world organizations can help advocate and create solutions to help vulnerable coastal communities. There are also technologies such as aquaculture that can help with sustaining food resources. For example, “Aquaculture increases food production, boosts economic growth in coastal and rural areas, and can help keep waterways clean”( NOAA, para.2). Aquaculture has many benefits when it comes to what new technology can provide in means of producing food, which can bring food security.
Even if larger states have taken the initiative to solve the threats facing coastal communities, many treaties have not been effective. A study from authors Zhipeng He and Sun Lu examining environmental laws stated , “Although the treaties cover comprehensive content, a large number of treaties have inconsistent content and overlapping norms, which not only affects the implementation of treaties, but also diminish countries’ enthusiasm for signing treaties” (qtd. in Chen et al, para. 3.2). Many organizations and treaties have been formed to address the needs of coastal communities ,however, there has been little improvement for most coastal communities and environments in efforts to protect marine life. A study on Oceania has found that, “Hybridization of customary beliefs and institutions with modern management concepts such as marine protected areas and ecosystem-based management can help address broader concerns such as coastal degradation, climate change, weak governance, corruption, limited resources, and increasing poverty” ( Friedlander, para.4.4). Combining both the aid of organizations with the customary beliefs of the people the organization is trying to help has been shown as a successful way to make progress towards any change. Further, it is found that although treaties may address relevant issues, it is up to local people who can make a direct and sustainable change. (Chen et al, para.3.2 ). Because of globalization, there is a larger divide between larger and smaller states. Aid can enforce positive change, but the approach to help coastal communities needs to include local people. Local people will be the ones who implement aid initiatives and are the ones who understand their needs and the ocean. This needs to be recognized in order to make an actual difference.
Although aquaculture could provide marine life resources for coastal communities, there are negative side effects and risks associated with the use of this technology. Aquaculture can lead to rapid transmission of disease among fishes because they are so close in contact. (Michel and Sticklor, para.13 ). If disease starts with one fish, then it is likely that the fish in the aquaculture communities will catch the same disease. A fish that is infected could also escape the aquaculture unit and spread it to the regular fish in the ocean which can disrupt their ecosystem. This would lead to more depleted marine life resources to coastal communities. Even if aquaculture were to help, local people have the right to harvest fish the way that they have for generations.
Local people of coastal communities have passed down traditions of harvesting marine sources ethically and sustainably for generations. The effects of globalization such as overfishing, coastal development, and spread of harmful substances and pollution are rapidly affecting the futures of coastal communities. Due to the global apartheid between big states and smaller states, vulnerable small states are often forgotten. Smaller states are outside of the connections globalization brings between larger and more powerful states. It is the action of larger states who are unregulated forever chemicals, unsustainably building coastal development for profit, and not regulating their CO2 levels that is contributing to vulnerable coastal communities suffering the consequences through their access to food. This will continue to negatively impact the locals who rely on the important bodies of water to sustain their livelihoods and who are trying to provide a future for the next generation. Since before globalization, local people in Oceania have understood that marine life resources are fragile. In order to sustain themselves, they acquired knowledge in migration patterns, understanding the ecology of species, and feeding patterns (Friedlander, para.2). Not only Oceania, but most coastal communities before globalization have developed skills in understanding their marine life resources and how to sustainably harvest. In order for big states to use globalization for good, understanding the specific needs of the local people they want to help is essential for any change to be made.
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