Sherr and others have shown that PCBs, dioxins, and other
organic pollutants seem to activate the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR), which, among other things, contributes to cancer.
So it
seems that if the oceans are overfished, and if the whales are killed, and the water is high in CO2 and
pollutants, and acid levels are high, and the temperature is high then
organic matter becomes starved and denuded and dies off.