The text on this site is presented as an archival version of the script of "Ocean Planet," a 1995 Smithsonian Institution traveling exhibition. The content reflects the state of knowledge at the time of the exhibition, and has not been updated.
Each of the four sides of this buoy marks the course through oceans in peril.
Most of the world's commercially important fish species are fished to capacity or depleted
photo © Wolfgang Kaehler
Overfishing has social and ecological consequences
photo © NOAA
Bombs, poison, and scrapers damage habitats
Cyanide, blast fishing and bottom trawling alter fish habitats and kill non-target species.
photo © Lynn Funkhouser
Nets are not always selective: some scoop up everything in their paths
Commercial marine fisheries in the U.S. alone
toss away up to 20 billion pounds of by-catch each year--twice the commercial and recreational catch combined.
photo © Robert W. Parvin
Ocean Planet Exhibition Floorplan
gene carl feldman (gene@seawifs.gsfc.nasa.gov) (301) 286-9428