• Coastal areas – highly productive ecosystems
– Occupied by 40% of population
– Coastal populations will double by 2050
– About 80% marine pollution originates on land
• Ocean dumping (controversies)
• Algal blooms
• Effect of oil pollution
– Volatile organic hydrocarbons
• Kill larvae
• Destroy natural insulation and buoyancy of birds and mammals
– Heavy oil
• Sinks and kills bottom organisms
• Coral reefs die