Can We Still Save The Ocean?

The ocean has always been our planet’s beating heart — vast, blue, and endlessly alive. Yet, in the quiet depths, the signs of strain are unmistakable. Human activities have added significant stress to ocean ecosystems, including rising temperatures, acidifying waters, plastic debris, overfished seas, and the reshaping of our coastlines. From coral reefs fading beneath the sun to mangroves uprooted by expansion, and kelp forests disappearing from along our coast, the ocean’s balance has been shaken.

Our impacts are both local and global. Coastal cities push ever closer to the tide, dredging channels and disrupting habitats. The hum of ships and offshore drilling echoes through once-tranquil waters. Rain carries the waste of our land — chemicals, oil, and plastic — into the currents. And in distant waters, unregulated fishing is depleting fish stocks faster than they can be replenished.

Yet amid all this, the ocean endures. It absorbs our excess carbon, tempers our climate, and shelters astonishing biodiversity. It still demonstrates resilience. Coral reefs, given time and care, can bloom again after bleaching, provided the polyps are not killed off by excess heat. Kelp forests can return if their natural predators are in balance. Nature, when allowed to breathe, remembers how to heal.

In celebration of the local American Indian cultures, the Aquarium of the Pacific will host its annual Moompetam American Indian Festival. Credit: Aquarium of the Pacific / Josh Barber

But hope alone will not save the sea. Healing demands unity —our local, national, and global communities choosing to act together with purpose. Reducing emissions, protecting coastal habitats, and rethinking how we harvest from the ocean are not acts of sacrifice, but of justice. Ocean justice means ensuring that coastal and Indigenous communities, who have long lived in harmony with the sea, lead the way forward.

This is our moment to imagine something greater: a new story for the ocean and for ourselves — one written in balance, care, and courage. The tide can turn. The ocean can recover. And if we rise together, we can create a future where both humanity and the blue heart of our world thrive once again.

So, Can We Save the Ocean?

What do Americans believe? Is there a case for hope?