Sharks, tuna and mackerel hold the key to saving the planet, according to new research. Big fish are a carbon sink – helping store the greenhouse gas at the bottom of the ocean, say scientists.
They regulate the amount that stays in the atmosphere by absorbing vast quantities of global emissions. An international team has shown leaving more in the sea will put the brakes on global warming.
When a fish dies in the ocean it sinks to the seabed – sequestering all the carbon it contains.
The natural phenomenon – dubbed a ‘blue carbon pump’ – is being increasingly disrupted by industrial fishing. It has been overlooked – until now. (Metro)