This could be some really bad news for the environment in Australia. According an article on cairns.com.au Roger Bradbury, a professor at Australian National University, predicts that if the over fishing at the Great Barrier Reef continues it will turn into a dead zone filled with slimy creatures. He says that the large marine species are keeping in check jellyfish and algae. If the large species were to disappear or the populations are heavily reduced “you get an ocean that’s like swarms of jellyfish, blooms of algae,” Roger Bradbury said.
The professor want to immediately phase out the commercial fishing at the Great Barrier Reef to save the remaining stocks, but of course those who decide are a bit skeptical to stop the fishing. Fishing = big money.

When I read this article I kept thinking about if this could happen here in Northern Norway too. Last year no big shoals of coalfish came into our fjord and that is the first year I have ever experienced that. Some fishermen claimed that this was because there was a big bloom of algae. Could it be that the bloom of algae was caused by over fishing? This spring I have also observed massive quantities of jellyfish swimming around which I find a bit worrying.
I hope this is not a sign of over fishing in my area.