A Sea Change: The Exclusive Economic Zone and Governance Institutions for Living Marine Resources
- Author
- Syma A. Ebbin, Alf Håkon Hoel, Are K. Sydnes
- Publication Year
- 2005
- Publisher
- Springer
- Language
- English
- Document Type
- Book
- Faculty / Subject Heading
- Medical Science
- Download Book Read book
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).
Keywords: Biomedical and life sciences / Environmental Governance / Exclusive Economic Zones / Institutions / International Law / Law of the Sea / Law of the Sea Convention / Development / Fisheries management / Organization
