Marine life in the high seas soak up an amount of carbon equivalent to 30 percent of the US’s annual emissions. This carbon-sequestering service is worth about $148 billion a year, according a new study from the Global Ocean Commission
At the same time, increased fishing activity threatens the whole process, according to the researchers.
The thing is, with fisheries impacted worldwide, more governments are subsidizing fishing operations on the high seas. More fishing activity could put a dent in the ocean’s sequestration effect, co-author Rashid Sumaila of the University of British Columbia’s Fisheries Center said.
Read the full article from VICE Motherboard.