A Sea Change: The Exclusive Economic Zone and Governance Institutions for Living Marine Resources

Ebbin, Syma A.; Hoel, Alf H.; Sydnes, Are

A Sea Change in a Changing Sea The oceans, seas and coastal areas encompass over 70% of the earth’s surface. They are a critical driver of the earth’s hydrologic cycle and climate system, important for c- merce, transport, and tourism, a source of economically important living marine resources, minerals such as hydrocarbons, as well as new pharmaceutical compounds. The marine environment provides essential habitats for thousands of marine living 1 2 resources, which in turn contribute significantly to global food security, employment, 3 and trade. Overall, the sea’s contribution to human welfare, in terms of market and non-market resources and environmental services, has been estimated at US$21 trillion/year (Costanza, 2000). However, despite the importance of the ocean realm to humans, there is a growing sense that human impacts are destabilizing this system. Some experts believe that current fishing levels are approaching or exceeding the total 4 productivity of the ocean ecosystem (National Research Council, 1999).

Details

Published by: Springer

Publication Date: 2005-01-07

Format: Hardcover

ISBN-13: 9781402031328

DOI: 10.1007/1-4020-3133-5

Dimensions: 232.0cm x156.0cm

Pages: 224.0