You may not have heard of a fish called the "menhaden" — or "bunker" or "pogy" — but it's at the very crux of so much ecology that one author has titled his book about menhaden, "The Most Important Fish in the Sea." Menhaden feed on plankton, and in turn, an enormous number of species feed on menhaden.
That's the balance of nature in action. But with humans grinding up menhaden to make lubricants, paints and feed for cows, pigs, chickens, pets and other fish, menhaden schools have been severely — some say disastrously — depleted.
Experts warn of an ecosystem collapse, entailing the loss of species that feed on menhaden and a blooming in the plankton population that would otherwise be kept in check.
But those same experts say that consumers choosing fishmeal-free products could reduce demand by a whopping 30 percent. Check your pet food and Omega-3 supplements!
Questions can be sent to Jim Parks at jrparks@mac.com. To find out more about Jim Parks and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.
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