Bleached and bare

One fifth of the world's coral reefs have disappeared over the last twenty years, according to a report just released by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

In addition to global warming, the death of these concentrated hotspots of biodiversity, has also been attributed to overfishing, destructive fishing methods like dynamite fishing, pollution, and invasive species like the crown of thorns starfish off Australia's coast. If serious action isn't taken now, says an analysis of the report on CNN, we could witness the complete annihilation of coral reefs by 2050.

This underscores the need to source out fish and seafood domestically, where we can ensure proper stewardship of the resource, and know that we're not fueling absurdly destructive policies in desperate places like South Asia and East Africa, where some of the worst damage is being done.

It also means we, as a nation, must finally put some pressure on Japan, the worst offender in promoting unsustainable fishing practices in its endless quest for specialty fish. While Japan's appetite for whale meat gets the most press, the country is also decimating bluefin tuna populations, despite the fact that most marine biologists believe the species will go extinct in the next decade without a moratorium on the slaughter.

Here at home, we should protect our cod fishery, which few Americans are aware is in imminent danger of collapse. We should ban the sale of severely depleted species like Chilean sea bass, Atlantic halibut, orange roughy, sharks, and most snappers. And the new administration in Washington should develop a coherent policy on ocean stewardship, aimed at protecting marine biodiversity and preventing the further bleaching of coral reefs.