Natural selection in action

Aboard Triton in the northeastern Aegean, we are capturing hundreds of images that give us hope that it is not too late for life in our seas.

Despite the fact that within only a few decades our generations have caused such an unprecedented impact to our seas, overfishing being a major threat, these complex natural processes continue.

The balance between predator and prey, and between all levels of the food chain, has existed in our seas for millennia. Large predatory fish near the top of the food chain, like the Mahi mahi pictured here, maintain the ecological balance of our seas in a number of ways. One of their key functions is natural selection of prey fish, such as those seen schooling in this photo. The predators target weak, injured and slow individuals, which naturally leads to survival and reproduction of the fittest.

In this way they help maintain healthy fish stocks which is of vital importance not only for healthy ecosystems but also for humans as a food source

With over 73% of Mediterranean fish stocks having been fished over sustainable limits, and overfishing in Greek waters continuing due to lack of management and enforcement, it is as urgent as ever to end overfishing.

At Archipelagos Institute, we have been on the front line of the seas every day for 27 years, positioned between marine ecosystems and the human interventions that destroy them, with the goal of actively defending biodiversity.

The threats, beyond overfishing, are many and constantly increasing. The greatest threat today, one to which we all contribute, is pollution. As a result of poor human management on land, every river, every stream, every runoff, and every wastewater treatment plant that does not function properly continues to feed our seas with an unceasing flow of plastic pollution, as well as hundreds of other chemical contaminants.