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Dead Zones and the Economy

 

 

The real and potential economic impacts of hypoxic dead zones are great.  In 2006, world oceanic seafood capture totaled 91,994,321 metric tons (FAO 2006).  A rough calculation puts this number into perspective:

 

            Total Annual Seafood Capture/World Population = Average Consumption

91,994,321,000 kg/6,000,000,000 people = 15.3 kg captured seafood/person/year

 

Both commercial and subsistence fishing make huge contributions to the world economy, as demonstrated by the level of consumption of seafood captured from oceans of the world.  Coastal upwelling zones, while occupying relatively little volume in the ocean are some of its most productive areas.  Unfortunately, it is these normally productive zones where hypoxic dead zones are developing due to runoff-eutrophication, and especially due to supercharged upwelling systems caused by climate change.

 

The depletion of 80% of Namibias valuable Hake population due to anoxia (Hamukuaya et al. 1998), and the indication that this and other anoxic events may be caused by climate-change-enhanced winds is a perfect example of potential economic impacts (Bakun, 2004).

 

A hypothetical increase in upwelling-forcing winds of 15%, which could occur over a period of a few decades, would bring the upwelling systems in Cape Mendocino, California, Cap Sim, Morrocco, and Cap Sim, Mauratania, all to the levels of intensity currently felt in Namibia.  There are indeed other factors in play, and this does not mean that in 30 years California, Morrocco, and Mauratania will loose 80% of their most valuable fisheries.  However, such intensified upwelling will no doubt have some, likely substantial, effect on the coastal ecosystem, and subsequently the economy.