Скачать или смотреть SAVE OUR PLANET - Stunning sea life under melting Arctic ice

SAVE OUR PLANET... Newly found Arctic sea life threatened by fishing. Using sets of special underwater remote-controlled cameras, a team from the international environmental group Greenpeace has made a first-time discovery of a diverse range of sea life under the Arctic ice near Norway, up to 600 meters beneath the ocean surface. At first expecting to find images of only mud and sand in the severely cold environment, underwater photographer Gavin Newman instead saw rare footage of soft corals, sea anemones, and other kinds of life never before witnessed or studied by scientists. Mr. Newman said, "It is one of the most colorful places I've dived apart from tropical coral reefs. It really was very unexpected."

Sadly however, as the Arctic ice has been receding drastically due to global warming, fishing trawlers have been moving farther north into this pristine area, dragging heavy nets across the sea bottom that destroy the fragile coral habitats and leave only devastation in their wake. These destructive trawl marks were also documented in Mr. Newman's images. Greenpeace representatives expressed concern that this precious Arctic ecosystem is thus being threatened not only by the global warming effects of rising temperatures and ocean acidification but also by bottom trawling. They have called for a moratorium on this practice in the Arctic Ocean, with experts such as marine biologist Dr. Iris Menn highlighting what is known as the precautionary principle, a policy that governs all exploration and states that humans must not seek benefit from environments without sufficient information about their impact. She stated, "For fisheries this means ... that there should not be any fishing in areas where we don't have any knowledge of the ocean ecosystem." Greenpeace Nordic Oceans campaigner Frida Bengtsson also noted the 2009 leadership of the United States in a decision to ban all fishing north of the Alaskan Bering Strait and urged Norway, in whose waters these new discoveries were being made, to adopt a similar urgent measure.

Our sincere appreciation Mr. Newman, Greenpeace and all concerned advocates for these new glimpses into the beauty of the Arctic while raising awareness about its delicate ecosystems. Let us act swiftly to stop the harm to marine life for the ultimate benefit of all beings.

Supreme Master Ching Hai has frequently spoken of the need to protect our living oceans, as in an interview published in the September 2009 edition of the British Parliament's The House Magazine.

Interview with Supreme Master Ching Hai
Published in The House Magazine
September 2009 edition

Supreme Master Ching Hai: Analysis by British researchers of hundreds of years of fishing records has revealed to us the devastating effects of trawling to both the marine environment and sea life. One scientist compared this method to harvesting apples by lowering a giant net and dragging it through the orchard, thus destroying the trees, destroying the very life that supports the fruit.
Please, request the media's help in spreading info about the detriments of trawling and the dire state of fish populations today. Another extremely effective practice would be to stop eating fish and advocate the same for all citizens. The government could offer subsidies to the fishermen for organic farming instead as the alternative livelihood. Complete fishing bans could then be put into place for the world's vital oceans and their unique life.