Marine resources

The Western Indian Ocean (WIO) region is renowned for the attractiveness of its coastal zones, high marine biodiversity and rich marine and coastal resources, but the 30 million or so people who live on the coast of the WIO region have had a significant impact on its biodiversity.

Our oceans are slowly dying, and the instruments of governance are inadequate to stop it. The international dimensions of ocean problems loom larger as we learn more about threats to marine species and ecosystems - invasive species are transported by international shipping, oceans fill with persistent organic pollutants, and nutrients from sewage and fertilizers cause excessive growth of marine plants.

Our oceans are slowly dying, and the instruments of governance are inadequate to stop it. The international dimensions of ocean problems loom larger as we learn more about threats to marine species and ecosystems - invasive species are transported by international shipping, oceans fill with persistent organic pollutants, and nutrients from sewage and fertilizers cause excessive growth of marine plants.

Our oceans are slowly dying, and the instruments of governance are inadequate to stop it. The international dimensions of ocean problems loom larger as we learn more about threats to marine species and ecosystems - invasive species are transported by international shipping, oceans fill with persistent organic pollutants, and nutrients from sewage and fertilizers cause excessive growth of marine plants.

WWF and IUCN have joined forces to outline a policy that will address the complexity of the oceans and coasts as well as our dependency on them. The challenge of protecting and sustainably managing marine natural resources, the last great source of wild-caught food on this planet, is a daunting one. The document sets out the goals to be attained and the guiding principles by which these objectives can be achieved

Presents research results on LMEs including identification of the major driving forces causing large-scale changes in biomass yields and health; development of ecosystem component models; and monitoring and assessment strategies and techniques for measuring changing states of LMEs. Covers contributions from 68 marine scientists from 14 countries.