Visit the South Atlantic coast and you will find a fascinating marine ecosystem of estuaries, coral gardens, deepwater canyons and shallow tropical waters. These environmental jewels draw divers, anglers and tourists from around the world expecting healthy waters and abundant fish populations. Yet chronic overfishing–catching fish faster than they can reproduce–jeopardizes the health of our ocean ecosystem. Many of this region’s fish live long lives, but they are caught before reaching their best spawning years. Like an orchard harvested before its fruit is ripened, overfishing is destroying what takes years to nurture.
