Cousteau cites 'massive decline' in health of our oceans
Digital Reporter
Monday, December 18, 2017, 7:09 PM - Alexandra Cousteau could swim before she could walk. So following in her grandfather's footsteps was something she never questioned.
As senior Oceana adviser, a National Geographic Emerging Explorer, filmmaker, globally recognized advocate on water issues and granddaughter of legendary Jacques Cousteau, she believes oceans are humanity's most important resource.
However, what is disturbing to her is the "massive decline" the Cousteau family has witnessed in the last 70 years.
A Family Legacy
"Over the course of decades that my grandfather spent making films, exploring the oceans, he started to see a decline that he hadn't seen when he started diving because at that time it was still abundant, diverse and there were 400 to 500-pound grouper in the Mediterranean," Cousteau told The Weather Network. "He saw that decline with my father Philippe. They started The Cousteau Society."
Founded in 1973 and based in Hampton, Virginia, The Cousteau Society is a non-profit organization dedicated to exploring and conserving ecosystems around the world.
"I think the most inspiring thing for me was just the extraordinary sense of purpose that they brought to what they did."
Cousteau's grandfather introduced her to the water as an infant and taught her how to scuba dive when she was just seven years old.
"They introduced me quite early to the oceans, but in my lifetime all of the places that I knew as a child have disappeared and so that decline has accelerated over time."
Leadership
However, the key to combating the decline is by using tools, technology and innovative ideas at our disposal to create a road map to the future that will help rebuild our oceans, the explorer highlighted.
"This isn't necessarily a story of continuing decline," she said. "It has been the story of my family, telling the stories over the decades and watching this decline, but that doesn't need to be the story we tell for the future."
While Canada's ocean priorities and international leadership on marine conservation is prominent, there is still room for improvement, Cousteau said.
WATCH BELOW: Alexandra Cousteau reacts to disturbing fish guts
"From Prime Minister Trudeau and Minister LeBlanc who are setting priorities for transparency and fisheries management, for 10 per cent MPAs [marine protective areas], for habitat restoration, for investing in the kinds of expeditions that we did in August to be able to understand the habitat on the seafloor of the Gulf of St. Lawrence... all of this is the kind of leadership we need and we need more of it."
Top Two Ocean Threats
According to Cousteau, there are two major threats that our oceans continue to face: Ocean acidification and climate change.
Widespread coral bleaching in recent years is something "we have all witnessed," she said.
It was only a year ago that ocean scientists revealed the extent of the damage suffered by the Great Barrier Reef as its northern sections underwent the worst mass coral bleaching event on record.
"We're definitely seeing the impacts of climate change. Whether it's heat impacting coral reefs, or migratory patterns changing for fish, we're seeing things shift and it's concerning," the explorer highlighted. "But, again restoring abundance to our oceans is our best chance to help them succeed."
Despite commitments to ocean sustainability, Canada is a country that continues to overfish and it's one of the reasons why Oceana was established, according to Cousteau.
However, by using scientific quotas, reducing bycatch and expanding MPAs, we can restore abundance, the filmmaker explained.
"There's all of these things, these benefits that come with sustainable management of our oceans and seeing Canada take the leadership role on that issue would benefit not just Canadians and Canadian waters, but it would benefit the world."
And it starts at the dinner table.
Instead of eating tuna, Cousteau suggests purchasing herring or mackerel.
"Eating tuna is like eating a panda bear. There is just not enough of them left. Tuna are severely overfished and other species can rebound much faster once sustainable measures have been put into place," she said. "Making sustainable seafood choices is a great way to start. We all have a circle of influence that we can evolve in shaping the conversation around what kind of future we want."
