CLOGGING UP THE WORKS:

Various Forms of Pollution

Marine Pollution:

Marine pollution is characterized as "a substance, organism, or energy (sound or heat) that is released into the environment by human activities and produces an adverse effect on organisms or the environmental processes on which they depend" (Boesch, et al.). Pollution affecting the marine environment comes in many forms, and from a variety of sources all of which place additional stress on many global fisheries. According to The Ocean Conservancy, the following are sources of serious marine environmental pollution:

Nutrient Overenrichment:

An increased level of nutrients in waterways causes eutrophication, a process in which algae or phytoplankton bloom in surface waters decreasing the available light to submerged aquatic vegetation. Once they die and sink to the bottom of the water column, their decomposition decreases available oxygen in benthic habitats. This can decrease available habitat for many fish species, which use coastal areas as nursery grounds. Sources of increased nutrients include fertilizers from agriculture, sewage effluent, and power plant emissions.

Sedimentation:

Runoff from land use disturbances such as construction, deforestation, and agricultural practices increase sediment loads in waterways which clouds water and decreases available light for benthic habitats. Coral reefs are especially sensitive to stress from sedimentation.

Persistent Pollutants:

Toxins such as pesticides, oils, biocides, PCBs and metals pose serious health risks to marine animals. These contaminants cause disease and reproductive failure in fish populations, and they can bioaccumulate in higher trophic levels.

While shipping accidents, which release oil, have severe implications for the region affected, researchers are recognizing that consistent operational discharges from the shipping industry are contributing to a greater overall threat of oil in the world's oceans (McIntyre). Pacific herring embryos have been observed to have genetic damage, malformations, and reduced growth after exposure to weathered oil in concentrations as low as 0.7 ppb (Boesch et al.).

Metals including copper, cadmium, lead and mercury are products of industrial waste. Mercury in lower trophic organisms may have little effect, but this compound biomagnifies its effect as it travels up the food chain. In birds, large fish and humans, mercury is a neurotoxin and can cause death (Boesch et al.).

Biocides such as tributyl tin, an antifouling paint, has been shown to severely impact reproductive processes by changing hormone levels in marine snail populations (Boesch et. al.). PCBs are industrial byproducts, which impact hormone levels and act as an endocrine disrupter (Boesch et. al).

Marine Debris:

Increasing consumption has increased waste products, many of which find their way to the oceans. According to the Ocean Conservancy, plastic production in the US has increased throughout the years resulting in 50 billion pounds manufactured in 1998, over ten pounds of plastic per person on earth. Plastic is estimated to be the most common form of marine debris accounting for 89% of the trash observed in the North Pacific Ocean in 1998.

Marine debris is a serious threat to marine mammals, turtles and fish. Discarded gill nets cause entanglement and death of marine species, and can be found smothering coral reefs as well. Of the 115 species of marine mammals, 49 have been documented as having been entangled in netting or ingested various forms of debris. Sea turtles often ingest plastic bags, which resemble their primary food source, jellyfish. Resin pellets, the raw form of plastic, have been found in stomach contents of juvenile flounders in the Atlantic and many seabirds in Alaska (The Ocean Conservancy).

*Introduction* State of the Fisheries Bycatch Pollution Cascade Fishing Habitat Degradation *International Policy* *Conventional Management* Marine Protected Areas *Individual Transferable / Fishing Quotas* *Links and References*
				CLOGGING UP THE WORKS: Various Forms of Pollution Marine Pollution: Marine pollution is characterized as "a substance, organism, or energy (sound or heat) that is released into the environment by human activities and produces an adverse effect on organisms or the environmental processes on which they depend" (Boesch, et al.). Pollution affecting the marine environment comes in many forms, and from a variety of sources all of which place additional stress on many global fisheries. According to The Ocean Conservancy, the following are sources of serious marine environmental pollution: Nutrient Overenrichment: An increased level of nutrients in waterways causes eutrophication, a process in which algae or phytoplankton bloom in surface waters decreasing the available light to submerged aquatic vegetation. Once they die and sink to the bottom of the water column, their decomposition decreases available oxygen in benthic habitats. This can decrease available habitat for many fish species, which use coastal areas as nursery grounds. Sources of increased nutrients include fertilizers from agriculture, sewage effluent, and power plant emissions. Sedimentation: Runoff from land use disturbances such as construction, deforestation, and agricultural practices increase sediment loads in waterways which clouds water and decreases available light for benthic habitats. Coral reefs are especially sensitive to stress from sedimentation. Persistent Pollutants: Toxins such as pesticides, oils, biocides, PCBs and metals pose serious health risks to marine animals. These contaminants cause disease and reproductive failure in fish populations, and they can bioaccumulate in higher trophic levels. While shipping accidents, which release oil, have severe implications for the region affected, researchers are recognizing that consistent operational discharges from the shipping industry are contributing to a greater overall threat of oil in the world's oceans (McIntyre). Pacific herring embryos have been observed to have genetic damage, malformations, and reduced growth after exposure to weathered oil in concentrations as low as 0.7 ppb (Boesch et al.). Metals including copper, cadmium, lead and mercury are products of industrial waste. Mercury in lower trophic organisms may have little effect, but this compound biomagnifies its effect as it travels up the food chain. In birds, large fish and humans, mercury is a neurotoxin and can cause death (Boesch et al.). Biocides such as tributyl tin, an antifouling paint, has been shown to severely impact reproductive processes by changing hormone levels in marine snail populations (Boesch et. al.). PCBs are industrial byproducts, which impact hormone levels and act as an endocrine disrupter (Boesch et. al). Marine Debris: Increasing consumption has increased waste products, many of which find their way to the oceans. According to the Ocean Conservancy, plastic production in the US has increased throughout the years resulting in 50 billion pounds manufactured in 1998, over ten pounds of plastic per person on earth. Plastic is estimated to be the most common form of marine debris accounting for 89% of the trash observed in the North Pacific Ocean in 1998. Marine debris is a serious threat to marine mammals, turtles and fish. Discarded gill nets cause entanglement and death of marine species, and can be found smothering coral reefs as well. Of the 115 species of marine mammals, 49 have been documented as having been entangled in netting or ingested various forms of debris. Sea turtles often ingest plastic bags, which resemble their primary food source, jellyfish. Resin pellets, the raw form of plastic, have been found in stomach contents of juvenile flounders in the Atlantic and many seabirds in Alaska (The Ocean Conservancy).