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Even one drop of water raises the ocean.
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Fish are an essential part of the marine ecosystem and when populations are disrupted, every aspect of the ocean will change, from its biodiversity to its water salinity (Zabel et al., 2003). The effects of changes in the ocean will effect everyone on the planet, from consumers, to businesses, to governments, to international organizations. Education is an essential part of successfully implementing our solution. As we outline in our plan, there are many steps that can be taken to reverse the negative trends we see in the ocean fisheries. Some steps need to be taken by individuals, some need to be made by businesses, some need to be enacted by governments. However, the basic foundation that is required for the implementation of these steps is for the people involved to understand the problem and the benefits of the solution. We cannot force the implementation of our plans; our plans need to be accepted. To this end, we recognize that educating people at all levels of involvement is an important part of our plan.
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Broad public education
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The Demand for Fish
The amount of fish we consume now is twice the amount consumed in 1973. This has be largely due to developing nations, whose urbanization, population and income growth have led to higher levels of animal products consumed. In 1973, China accounted for 11 percent of the global fish consumption, but after 24 years, that number rose to 36 percent (Ahmed et al., 2003). In order to quell the demand for fish, education efforts must reach the developing world and those who are most dependent on fishing.
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In 1999, the world's population reached 6 billion and has been growing exponentially ever since (UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs, 1999). As the population grows at an ever increasing rate, the ability of the world's natural resources to feed, clothe, and supply everyone becomes increasingly strained. There is an ever-increasing demand for fish, as well as for the possible alternatives to fish. One method of reducing fish consumption would be to inform individuals of the advantages of becoming a vegan or vegetarian, especially in certain rapidly developing countries. Mission 2011 does not support replacing the protein and nutritional value gained from fish with other animal meats, especially cattle: the beef industry is a large contributor to global warming through activities ranging from the clear-cutting of forests to methane production by cattle (Marian, 2007). We do endorse obtaining the necessary nutrients from combinations of grain/wheat/flour and legumes/vegetables/beans. Additional information on combining foods to achieve optimal protein intake from non-animal sources can be found on Protein in the Vegan Diet and on this Protein Information Sheet. We also recognize that protein replacement in societies entirely dependent on fish, or in countries with little arable land, is much more difficult and less practical. In conclusion, Mission 2011 strongly supports education programs that encourage people with access to alternative sources of protein to substantially decrease their consumption of fish (i.e. people in developed countries, like the United States and European Union).
Key groups
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to educate
Governments
Governments are in charge of much regulation and international policy decision, thus they have a great degree of power in any area of management. Our plans require a large degree of international cooperation and national legislation, so knowledgeable governments are critical to the implementation of our plans. The loss of fisheries production will have negative effects on many countries. Unless the governments are aware of these issues, they cannot make the necessary decisions to mitigate these effects.
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