脆弱天堂 04

Sea butterflies are such important food for so many marine animals

They have been dubbed the "potato chips of the ocean"

But they could be under threat from all that extra carbon dioxide.

Dissolved carbon dioxide is slowly turning the water more acidic

Making it harder for sea butterflies to build their calcium shells.

The loss of these swimming ''potato chips''

Would have repercussions right up the food chain.

And with a billion people around the world

dependent on fish for their protein

Fewer fish would clearly be bad news for people too.

Of course, there's no need to worry

If the greenhouse gases are brought under control.

Or is there?

Although the burning of fossil fuels is often viewed

as the biggest environmental threat

Here in the Pacific there are more pressing concerns.

The fish may disappear long before the impact of climate change really takes hold.

A leading group of ecologists recently predicted that in just 40 years

Seafood will be off the menu.