The Wealth of Oceans

This work examines up-to-date research in oceanography and marine ecology in the context of the global economy and human population. For thousands of years humanity has seen the oceans as a mysterious and limitless source of treasures to be fished, harvested, mined and salvaged. However, recent developments in ocean studies offer an alternative understanding of the oceans, their role in a global ecosystem and their vulnerability to threats from human action. This book is intended to help point the way towards changes that will preserve, rather than squander, the wealth of oceans.