Marine Environment and Resource Degradation

Current trends

þ Coastal waters have been contaminated by land-based sources, particularly municipal wastes that cause eutrophication.
þ Red tides have increased in distribution and frequency in many coastal seas, and there are links to eutrophication.
þ Oceanic waters already show human impacts, both in terms of trace contaminants and measurable temperature and
sea-level increase.
þ Total marine fish production is leveling off as the landings of demersal fish have remained constant since the l970s.
þ More than two-thirds of the world's marine fish stocks are being fished at or beyond their level of maximum
productivity.
þ The Atlantic Ocean was fully fished in 1980, the Pacific Ocean will be by 1999, and the remaining large areas are still
developing.
þ Many fishery resources classified as overexploited in l992 have been showing decreased yields for the last 20 years, and
are now producing 6 million tons less than they did in 1985.

Underlying causes of change

þ Overfishing.
þ Inadequate waste management on land, particularly in rapidly growing coastal settlements.
þ Destruction of natural cover of watersheds.

Projected impact of human activities on the oceans

þ Increased extent of coastal areas becoming unsuitable for recreation and food production.
þ Loss of coral reefs and mangroves.
þ Contribution to sea-level rises.
þ Collapse of additional fish stocks.

Social and economic consequences of projected changes

þ Greater incidence of illness due to consumption of contaminated fish and shellfish.
þ Decline in marine fisheries production, and increased prices resulting in lower per capita consumption, especially among
the poor.
þ Unemployment and social dislocation caused by the collapse of traditional fisheries.
þ Decline in coastal tourism.
þ Increased cost of coastal protection measures.

Technologies, policies, and measures to mitigate projected changes

þ Improved management of fisheries, both capture and culture.
þ Better waste management (implementation of the Washington Declaration).
þ Improved monitoring of coastal waters to prevent health-related problems.

Status of international agreements

þ U.N. Convention on Law of the Sea, first signed in 1982, came into force in 1994.
þ Agreement for the Implementation of the Provision of the U.N. Convention on Law of the Sea Relating to the Conser-
vation and Management of Straddling Fish Stocks and Highly Migratory Fish Stocks - New York, August 1995.