Algae, Aquaculture, Medicine

AlgaeSeaweeds and algae make up 10% of the Japanese

diet Much of this is red algae nori. Nori is the most-consumed

alga in the world and is often served with sushiAlgin – a commercial product (250 million

annually) – which comes from the mucus in kelp and other marine algae, has a complex molecular structure useful in food processing and other applications.

Salad dressing Ice cream Clarify beer and wine Paint and abrasives

Farming the SeaToday, about 25% to 30% of the world’s

seafood comes from aquacultureAnnual aquaculture revenues in the US exceed

$150 billion, primarily from oysters and salmonFarming the sea not without problems

Some species live on fish meals (10% rule?)Rapid spread of diseaseDrugs pass into environmentConcentrated waste in the form of nitrates

leading to plankton boomsIntroduced species?

Fish Farms

New Medicines from the OceanAbout half the drugs available to modern

medicine comes from natureBioprospecting?

Biological Resources: Fish4% of what people eat18% of the protein we eat1 billion people rely on fish as their main food

source15 million jobs (direct)200 million jobs (indirect)155 per 100,000 die each year in the US

The state of the world’s fisheries: A bleak pictureMaximum sustainable yieldThe problems with overfishing

World’s fisheries can’t sustain thepresent catch levels

By refining technology and methods, the fishing fleets are taking ever larger proportions of declining stocks

The Economics if Commercial FishingCompared to the industries involved with other marine

resources, the worldwide fishing industry is unique in that, according to economic estimates, the worldwide fish catch sells for less than it costs.

Global governments subsidize. Grants Low or no-interest loans Free or low cost fuel Tax incentives Price controls

Fishing fleets spend $124 billion to catch $70 billion in fish

That’s about $1.77 spent for every dollar earned Tax payers cover the overhead so that the fishing

industry makes a profit

You can make a differenceWrite to local, state, and US governmentsEat less fishUse you votes wiselyEducate others

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