By Mark Tercek
Degraded coral reefs, depleted fish stocks, increasing competition for marine resources and space: the challenges facing our oceans can seem daunting.
The world’s oceans are heavily impacted by humans.  Despite being the largest habitat on earth, no ocean is without our presence. We are on our way toward losing up to 70 percent of coral reefs by 2050.  Entire food webs have been upended in our pursuit of big fish. Coastal development and destructive fishing practices have contributed to the loss of 85 percent of oyster reefs globally.
We have forgotten what an untouched ocean looks like.  
There are, however, a few spots on earth so remote that the oceans teem with life in conditions similar to pre-industrial times.…

Award-winning National Geographic photojournalist Brian Skerry chatted with Mission Blue about his adventures lost under Arctic ice, exploring ship wrecks, and hanging out with 70-ton whales.
So why underwater photography?
I guess I was drawn to photography because I was a diver first. I had an innate desire to be an ocean explorer. After I became a certified diver, I attended a diving conference where photographers and filmmakers were showing their work. I had this epiphany where I realized I could be an explorer of the ocean, but do it with a camera. I was 17 years old. Before that, I was interested in photos but not passionately; I was more interested in stories and story telling. I was always a very visual person.…