Bleak Future for Clams

In the South Atlantic, southeast of the country of Uruguay, is a region of ocean measuring 130,000 square miles—about twice the size of Uruguay—which is 1-2º C (1.8-3.6º F) warmer than most of the ocean water in the world. That warm water killed 95% of the yellow clams off the coast of Uruguay, forcing the government to ban clamming from 1994 to 2008. When clamming was allowed to resume, the harvest was only about 5% of what it had been in 1985.

On average, the world is about 1º C (1.8º F) warmer than it was in the 19^th century. But the ocean water near Uruguay has warmed by 2-3º C (3.6-5.4º F). Scientists have found similar warm ocean zones in the western portions of the North and South Pacific, North Atlantic, and Indian Oceans.

Many land areas have also warmed more and faster than the world average, including the Arctic, Canada, Russia, Mongolia, northern China, central and eastern Europe, the Middle East, and portions of the United States. Some places have already warmed more than 2º C (3.6º F) over 19^th century levels.

Bivalve marine species—clams, oysters, mussels, and the like—are very sensitive to such temperature changes in their environment. The U.N. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) predicts that these species could go extinct if ocean temperatures rise by 1.8º C (3.24º F).

To read more about climate change, and how it may be fulfilling biblical prophecy, read “Apocalypse Soon,” which is chapter 11 of my book Beyond Blind Faith, by clicking here.

This blog entry is based primarily on The Washington Post article, “Dangerous New Hot Zones Are Spreading Around the World,” which is posted online at: https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/2019/national/climate-environment/climate-change-world/