8
1. Introduction
1.3. Why Marine Conservation?
If conservation biology is considered a new discipline, marine conservation
biology is even newer. Much of the foregoing discussion of the conservation of biological diversity has occurred in a terrestrial context. Humans are
by nature "land-lubbers," such that the terrestrial bias evident in conservation efforts is not surprising . In a comparison of terrestrial and marine protected areas under federal jurisdiction in the United States, Lindholm and
Barr (200n show that, while 4.5% of the US landmass was enclosed in
Wilderness Preservation Areas, only about 0.0002% of US waters were protected by Sanctuary Preservation Areas and Ecological Reserves.
In essence, we value what we see . Hence , while the oceans encompass
slightly more than 71% of the Earth's surface and 99% of the Earth's living
biomass, reaching greater depths in the Challenger Deep of the Pacific
Ocean (33,000 ft) than Mt. Everest is high, it is only the uppermost 600 ft of
this expansive environment to which the vast majority of human interaction
is limited. In fact, most humans who do actually interact with the ocean either ride along the surface in boats, swim along the world 's beaches, or perhaps penetrate 60 to 100 feet while SCUBA diving. Consequently, our experience with the ocean is actually only limited to the uppermost 0.3% of the
ocean, and that is limited even further to waters largely within sight of land.
Nonetheless, biological diversity in the sea, as on land, is being endangered and lost worldwide at an unprecedented rate. While human interaction with the marine environment may be limited, human activities influence every ocean and every sea, from the sunlit surface waters to the
deepest sun-starved benthos. Individual species such as fish and shellfish
are sought for their value as food. Tropical fish and corals are collected for
their ornamental value . Some species, such as horseshoe crabs and various
species of sharks, are killed for body parts that have-or are perceived to
have-medicinal qualities . As the ultimate recipient of most of the world 's
pollutants, the ocean is subject to the many consequences of terrestrial development which, for example, manifest themselves as nutrient runoff, atmospheric fall-out, and accidental and deliberate release of solid waste and
toxic chemicals.
Unlike terrestrial systems, where environmental degradation is more easily visible to the naked eye, in marine systems the plight of all but a few
"charismatic megafauna" such as whales and coral reefs goes unnoticed by
human society. Anthropogenic impacts on marine systems go beyond landbased pollution and waste-disposal. Fishing-an integral part of many
human societies-affects a variety of species and systems worldwide, and
will be covered in several of the models in this book. The environmental
impacts of fishing occur directly through the removal of food fishes, and indirectly through "by-catch" of non-target species, alterations of food chains,
introduction of pathogens and disease agents , and destruction of the biological and physical habitat . For example, in the northwest Atlantic Ocean,
1. Introduction
1.3. Why Marine Conservation?
If conservation biology is considered a new discipline, marine conservation
biology is even newer. Much of the foregoing discussion of the conservation of biological diversity has occurred in a terrestrial context. Humans are
by nature "land-lubbers," such that the terrestrial bias evident in conservation efforts is not surprising . In a comparison of terrestrial and marine protected areas under federal jurisdiction in the United States, Lindholm and
Barr (200n show that, while 4.5% of the US landmass was enclosed in
Wilderness Preservation Areas, only about 0.0002% of US waters were protected by Sanctuary Preservation Areas and Ecological Reserves.
In essence, we value what we see . Hence , while the oceans encompass
slightly more than 71% of the Earth's surface and 99% of the Earth's living
biomass, reaching greater depths in the Challenger Deep of the Pacific
Ocean (33,000 ft) than Mt. Everest is high, it is only the uppermost 600 ft of
this expansive environment to which the vast majority of human interaction
is limited. In fact, most humans who do actually interact with the ocean either ride along the surface in boats, swim along the world 's beaches, or perhaps penetrate 60 to 100 feet while SCUBA diving. Consequently, our experience with the ocean is actually only limited to the uppermost 0.3% of the
ocean, and that is limited even further to waters largely within sight of land.
Nonetheless, biological diversity in the sea, as on land, is being endangered and lost worldwide at an unprecedented rate. While human interaction with the marine environment may be limited, human activities influence every ocean and every sea, from the sunlit surface waters to the
deepest sun-starved benthos. Individual species such as fish and shellfish
are sought for their value as food. Tropical fish and corals are collected for
their ornamental value . Some species, such as horseshoe crabs and various
species of sharks, are killed for body parts that have-or are perceived to
have-medicinal qualities . As the ultimate recipient of most of the world 's
pollutants, the ocean is subject to the many consequences of terrestrial development which, for example, manifest themselves as nutrient runoff, atmospheric fall-out, and accidental and deliberate release of solid waste and
toxic chemicals.
Unlike terrestrial systems, where environmental degradation is more easily visible to the naked eye, in marine systems the plight of all but a few
"charismatic megafauna" such as whales and coral reefs goes unnoticed by
human society. Anthropogenic impacts on marine systems go beyond landbased pollution and waste-disposal. Fishing-an integral part of many
human societies-affects a variety of species and systems worldwide, and
will be covered in several of the models in this book. The environmental
impacts of fishing occur directly through the removal of food fishes, and indirectly through "by-catch" of non-target species, alterations of food chains,
introduction of pathogens and disease agents , and destruction of the biological and physical habitat . For example, in the northwest Atlantic Ocean,