Those who are born and raised near the coastline anywhere in the world cannot help but view the ocean as an almost supremely bountiful source of life and energy. Come to think of it, the ocean is just about as supreme a source of life and energy on this Earth as one can imagine.
However, the harmful impact of mankind’s technological advances and the associated pollutants and almost unimaginably efficient approaches to large-scale commercial fishing that have come about as a result of those advances are increasingly putting undue stress and strain on our ocean’s resources and bounty. In many corners of the globe, that stress and strain is resulting in dire circumstances which threaten the very existence of said resources.
Take, for example, the small, family fishing businesses that have existed on the Gulf Coast for generations. There is something of an open secret among those tight-knit communities that should bring a tear to the eye of anyone who enjoys a good South Georgia fish fry or Lowcountry boil: after decades in which our local coast has routinely provided a more than ample supply of shellfish and other saltwater delights, increasing demand and unsustainable practices have resulted in steadily decreasing yields.
