e the first domino in a vicious cycle falls and the rest of the reefs inhabitants, namely the fish, will eventually die out as well. In a study released by Green peace, projections were made about the impact of warming water on the coral and fish. The study said that reef fishing would decrease by 25-50 percent, pelagic fishing by 10-25 percent, leading to a gross domestic product contraction of 40-50 percent in the small Polynesian and Micronesia nations. Less bleak studies have shrunk those figures by approximately five percent each, which remains problematic. The prospect of a depletion in fishing is a real issue for the small islands that depend only on themselves to fish, they lack the option of importing fish from more abundant fishing areas. In addition to coral destruction, the oceanic currents are changing due to increased water temperatures. This coupled with changes in the stratification of the sea water affects the swimming patterns of the fish. The fish relocate to the areas where the water is the right temperature for them to survive, meanwhile the natives continue to fish using their traditional knowledge. Although the relocation of fish is slight at this juncture, in the near future it will be more noticeable.At least two motu, or small islets, have already disappeared in Kiribati. Up until a decade ago fisherman would use the area as a resting place. They would beach their boats and drink coconut milk as the sought refuge from the sea, today you find nothing but water. This is a comparatively trivial example of the way oceanic swelling alters fishing in the islands, the future prospects are far more serious than simply an inconvenience. Coastal erosion is another complication that accompanies the changing weather patterns and rising sea levels. The rising sea levels and receding coastlines have two major affects. First, the salinity of the ground water in the land close to the coast will increase dramatically, second t...
