The future is up to us

[DaveIrons@aol.com]

I hope that the spirit of innovation, will lead to
affordable undersea technology.  The future well-
being of humankind may well depend on the sea. 
It's ironic that the technology for living in the sea
was developed during the 60's, but never used. 
Perhaps some of the answers will be found in this
group.  The basic research has been done.  It is up to
innovative entrepreneurs and inventors to use that
knowledge  to manufacture affordable undersea
habitats and submersibles.

Once undersea habitats and submersibles are
affordable, we may change our present destructive
and short sighted use of the oceans resources.  Huge
fishing fleets become more efficient in gathering the
oceans dwindling fish population.  Huge nets are
dragged along the sea bottom and destroy habitats
that we never see.
Soon we will be forced to change our
hunter/gatherer practices and adopt more
responsible practices.
I imagine that the first industry that will learn to
farm the ocean will be the aquarium trade.  There
are several companies attempting to culture marine
fish and invertebrates.  A major problem for shore
based fish farms has been the inconsistent quality of
the seawater.  If a fish farming operation was
located in the open sea, they would have an
unlimited access to seawater of consistent quality. 
There is presently a large market for colorful reef
animals.  
Presently most corals are illegal to collect. 
However, if an artificial reef is built in an otherwise
barren section of sea and corals are harvested from
that reef  everyone would benefit.  The corals
consume excess nutrients which are partially the
result of pollution.  New habitats would be created
and would create better yields for fishermen. 
Artificial reefs are presently being built by
environmental activists.  These reefs are designated
wildlife refuges.  However, commercially built reefs
would increase the benefits exponentially.  
The undersea pioneer Bebee wrote a compelling description of a
future where mankind would tend gardens in the sea.  The plants
would be animals and the spiders would be crabs.