Fish Pixel Pelagic

Instructions

The open ocean is home to a diverse ecosystem of (non-shark) fish. Ranging from tiny forage fish to colossal ocean sunfish, the environment has various niches occupied by these animals. Many fish are considered prey, but some are also predators. Fish possess eggs for spawning, gills for extracting dissolved oxygen from the water, and scales for protecting their sensitive tissue. Like all vertebrates, they have similar sensory adaptations. While usually dismissed ectothermic, some fish are actually regional endotherms, heating up parts of their body higher than the temperature of local water, itself. This includes mackerel and tuna. Despite fish being the most common marine vertebrates, they are also some of the more threatened ones. They are highly vulnerable to global warming, habitat disruption, and overfishing. Climate change has negatively impacted cold-adapted and tropical fish, habitat destruction and invasive species destablized vital waters + resources, and overharvesting has globally depleted fish stocks. To save fish, we can lessen our pressure on wild populations, provide protected areas for their recovery, and transition to aquaculture, instead. The number one proven method to save fish is to stop mass fishing that deteriorates their numbers. Ensuring that they can recover, and safely spawn in specific regions, allows them to rebuild their numbers. And, instead of depending on unpredictable quotas, we can always switch to more efficient and widespread food sources that can be supported for long-term. Pelagic Fish: • Anchovy • Sardine • Herring • Mackerel • Bonito • Bluefish • Jack • Mahi Mahi • Wahoo • Tuna • Billfish • Mola Mola