Overview The ocean is an essential part of the global environment. It influences climate and weather around the world and is home to millions of different forms of life. 1 Thriving marine ecosystems provide Americans with food, medicines, jobs, and recreation. The ocean also connects people to nature and is critical to some Indigenous cultures. Did You Know? Decreases in commercial fishing harvests. America’s East Coast is projected to see a 20% to 30% decrease in fish harvests by 2060. 35 Climate change will drive fish further north as waters heat up. Coral bleaching. Coral reefs are home to many sea creatures. When water is too warm or too cold, coral becomes damaged in a process called bleaching . If bleaching goes on for too long, it can kill the coral. 35 Dead Zones. Harmful algal blooms (HABs), sometimes called red tides, have been linked to increasing temperatures in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Some species of cyanobacteria can produce excessive amounts of biomass that can prevent light from getting below the ocean surface. As these organisms die and decompose, oxygen levels go down, making it harder for other organisms to survive. Other species of HABs can produce toxins that are hazardous to marine life and humans . Threats to subsistence fishing. Salmon and other types of fish are an essential part of subsistence fishing in Alaska. Climate change is making it difficult for Indigenous people to practice fishing traditions. Wildlife impacts. A 2014 marine heatwave caused the death of many sea lions. 34 The warm water caused the fish that the sea lions eat to move elsewhere. As a result, thousands of sea lion pups starved. Decreases in commercial fishing harvests. America’s East Coast is projected to see a 20% to 30% decrease in fish harvests by 2060. […]