There is a current dilemma going on in our government about drilling in the ocean for oil in the Atlantic Ocean off of our coast (This does not include BP spill, currently it is still banned from the Obama administration) . Do the benefits outweigh the losses? Exactly like ocean drilling projects in the past, there will always be severe negative side effects to drilling again. Oil spills and leaks have been one of the main killers of local fish and life in drilling areas. Not to mention the damage to the deep sea coral reefs is detrimental. These deep sea coral reefs have provided habitats for many deep water dwelling species for longer then we have been drilling for oil. Destroying the coral reefs will have a domino effect in the food webs of these deep sea organisms, and in the end it will hit humans. It will start by killing the living coral reefs, and this will cause algae to die off slowly. The urchins and jellyfish who feed on these algae will slow begin to disappear, and this will leave their predators with no source of nutrition (they now die). It will be possible to map the eventual death of all organisms that depended on these reefs for feeding in these particular areas. In turn as humans, we will see a steep decline in the economics of the fishing industry. If we continue to drill, over years there will not be any notable sea life left in these areas, and we will lose a major source of nutrition. Deep sea drilling may be positive to some by keeping money in our pockets, but ecological the effects can be devastating. Don’t Drill!!!
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