U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry on Monday called for a global strategy to save the world's oceans, saying everybody had a "shared responsibility" to protect the seas that cover 75 percent of the planet. "Let's develop a plan" to combat over-fishing, climate change, and pollution, Kerry urged as he opened a two-day conference in Washington of world leaders, scientists, and industry executives. The top U.S. diplomat warned there were already 500 "dead zones" around the world, where marine life can no longer be sustained, adding that one-third of the world's fish stocks were "overexploited." Heads of government and ministers from about 80 countries are gathering with researchers and experts from the fishing, plastics, and farming industries for the conference at the State Department. "No-one should mistake that the protection of our oceans is a vital security issue," Kerry told the conference attendees. "The ocean today supports the livelihoods of up to 12 percent of the world's population. It is also essential to maintaining the environment in which we all live." Protecting the oceans also was essential for food security, Kerry emphasized, saying 3 billion people "depend on fish as a significant source of protein." The secretary of state urged cooperation to develop plans to address the different threats to the oceans, and he said President Barack Obama would extend U.S. marine conservation areas.
