The Sea that unites us
By Aimée Leslie – Director of Conservation at WWF Peru.
Every time we sit down to enjoy a ceviche, a tiradito or a fish stew, we rarely think about everything that made it possible for that food to reach our table. Behind each dish are fishers who go out to sea before dawn, complex marine ecosystems that sustain life underwater and one of the most extraordinary ocean currents on the planet, the Humboldt Current.
The oceans face increasing threats. Overfishing, illegal fishing, pollution, and the impacts of climate change put marine ecosystems at risk to continue sustaining life and the livelihoods that depend on them.
In the face of these challenges, fisheries traceability is very important. Knowing where the fish we eat comes from allows us to differentiate those who fish responsibly from those who operate outside the law. Initiatives such as TrazApp, developed in collaboration with the General Directorate of Captaincies and Coast Guards (DICAPI), the Ministry of Production (PRODUCE) and WWF, allow the registration and proof of the legal origin of fishing resources.
Last year, WWF Peru participated in the first satellite tagging of whales carried out in Peru. We have been able to follow the movements of three whales that traveled thousands of kilometers between our coasts and Antarctic waters. The monitoring of a mother and her calf showed that nature does not recognize political borders, moving through landscapes that for them form a single territory.
Whales, sharks, sea turtles, and other migratory species depend on ocean connectivity and collaboration between countries to survive. That is why it is so important to strengthen international ocean governance and advance global agreements that allow the protection of marine biodiversity beyond national jurisdictions, such as the High Seas Treaty or BBNJ, which our country is in the process of ratifying.
Marine protected areas such as the Grau Tropical Sea represent strategic investments for the future of the country. Effectively protecting critical habitats allows for the conservation of iconic species such as whales and sea turtles, while also contributing to the recovery of fish that benefit neighboring fishing communities. The work led by the National Service of Natural Areas Protected by the State (SERNANP) demonstrates that conservation and development are not opposing objectives, but complementary.
On World Oceans Day, it is worth remembering that protecting the sea is not the exclusive task of fishermen, scientists, companies or governments. It is a shared responsibility. The sea has given us a lot. It's time to return the favor.
© Tom Vierus / WWF-Pacific
