short essay on marine environment

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The marine environment is an essential component of the global life-support system

Oceans cover 71 per cent of the Earth’s surface and provide us with food, oxygen and jobs. But they are probably the least understood, most biologically diverse, and most undervalued of all ecosystems.

From deep oceans to coastal reefs, from mudflats to sea grass beds, ocean and marine systems provide us with essential services: carbon capture for climate mitigation, renewable energy and protection from storm surges, to name but a few. As the global population grows, we are probing deeper and further into the oceans - for fish, oil, gas, minerals and new genetic resources - in an attempt to keep pace with increasing consumption. This is damaging the oceans that sustain us.

Estimating the total value of marine ecosystems could provide policymakers with a strong rationale to improve ocean management and invest in marine conservation. This would reduce environmental risks and ecological scarcities while boosting human well-being.

This year’s tagline for World Oceans Day (8 June) “Healthy Oceans, Healthy Planet”, aptly encapsulates the importance of oceans and seas in our ecosystem, and represents an opportunity to raise awareness.  

Managing a complex ecosystem UNEP has been busy supporting an integrated management of oceans and seas. Within UNEP, the Ecosystems Management Subprogramme works to drive change over both the short and long term through innovative solutions, build partnerships, and support countries to better manage, monitor and account for biodiversity and the health and productivity of ecosystems.

Central to a transformational response to decades of overfishing, pollution and unplanned coastal development will be moving from sectoral management, to an approach that marries seemingly competing interests in relation to marine and coastal resources and space within a robust framework and a spatial planning perspective. This is central to ensuring equitable access among diverse interests and users.

Oceans face the threats of marine and nutrient pollution, resource depletion and climate change, all of which are caused primarily by human actions. These threats place further pressure on environmental systems, like biodiversity and natural infrastructure, while creating global socio-economic problems, including health, safety and financial risks.

In order to promote ocean sustainability, innovative solutions that prevent and mitigate detrimental impacts on marine environments are essential. The internationally agreed Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) guide governments towards creating a world in which we better value the global ecosystem upon which we all depend for life.

We have 14 years to meet SDG 14: Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development.

What’s UNEP’s Regional Seas Programme? Established in 1974, the UNEP Regional Seas Programme focuses on the protection of specific bodies of water from pollution, from land-based and sea-based sources; on promoting assessments of the status of the marine environment; and on the conservation and sustainable management of oceans through support to the establishment of regional conventions and action plans.

There are currently 18 Regional Seas Conventions and Action Plans across the world, of which 14 were established under the auspices of UNEP. They received initial support, and continue receiving technical assistance from UNEP upon request.

These programmes aim to restore the health and productivity of oceans and marine ecosystems by promoting responsible stewardship. Over the last 40 years, they have helped countries to reduce land-based pollution, improve the management of coastal zones, and brought nations together to conserve the marine environment.

Some examples of change The number of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) is growing. With support from UNEP, Haiti last year designated its first nine MPAs and others are set to follow suit.

The EU Common Fisheries Policy, which came into force in 2014, is phasing out the practice of throwing unwanted fish overboard and requires the industry to stick to quotas designed to achieve healthy fish stocks. The government of the Seychelles has pledged to expand Marine Protected Areas  to cover 30 per cent of its exclusive economic zone (400, 000 square kilometres), with 15 per cent designated as no-take areas. The commitment has been incorporated in the Seychelles’ first Protected Areas Policy which was endorsed in 2013.

Traditional fishers in Madagascar have carried out more than 250 temporary closures over about 450 km of coastline, a practice that has dramatically increased the size of their catch.

• Coastal and Marine Ecosystems

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Essay on marine pollution: top 5 essays.

Read this essay to learn about Marine Pollution. After reading this essay you will learn about: 1. Meaning of Marine Pollution 2. Causes of Marine Pollution 3. Effects 4. Policies 5. Control.

Essay Contents:

• Essay on the Control of Marine Pollution

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Essay # 1. Meaning of Marine Pollution :

The Earth’s oceans are all connected to one another. Until the year 2000, there were four recognized oceans:

The Pacific, Atlantic, Indian, and Arctic. In the spring of 2000, the International Hydrographic Organization delimited a new ocean, the Southern Ocean (it surrounds Antarctica and extends to 60 degrees latitude). There are also many seas (smaller branches of an ocean). Seas are often partly enclose d by land. The largest seas are the South China Sea, the Caribbean Sea, and the Mediterranean Sea.

The following table shows the approximate area of sea with their approximate depth.

About 2/3 of the earth’s surface is covered with water of oceans and sea. They are life sources for many plants and animals and playing a crucial role in the chemical and biological balance of life on the planet. But increasing pollution has not left them free from pollutants. Increase of these pollutants in such amount that conditions of sea changes physically, chemically and biologically is called Marine pollution.

The main cause of Marine pollution or sea pollution is discharge of waste substances into sea.

The habitats of marine mammals and fish have been degraded severely with pollution responsible for the mass deaths of fish, mammals and corals. Day-by-day increasing pollutants like organochlorine, pesticides, fertilizers, oils and a range of other toxic pollutants accumulates with in fishes and through them to man to cause reproductive disorders.

Pollution and warm ocean waters have also degraded coral reefs in several areas. Due to agricultural wastes run off and waste water; low oxygen dead zones are developed in coastal ocean waters. Excess N 2 has promoted the growth of algae, which promotes toxic organisms like cholera.

According to a rough estimate, about 12000 tonnes of lead, 17000 tonnes of copper, 70,000 tonnes of zinc, 8000 tonnes of arsenic, 900 tonnes of barium, 70000 tonnes of manganese, 6000 tonnes of chromium, 3800 tonnes of antimony, 17000 tonnes of iron, 7000 tonnes of mercury and 4600 tonnes of tin are discharged per year into the sea without any dilution.

The industrial wastes loaded with toxic substances such as acids, alkalies, pesticides, oils, varnishes, plastics, petro­chemicals, rubber, paints, and wastes of paper, soap, sugar, distillery, mine drainage, tannery, cyanides and radioactive substances pollute heavily causing fish killing in different coasts of different nations.

One of the commonest pollutants of the sea is raw or treated sewage. Over burden of these sewage cause prolific breeding of minute plants near the sea surface preventing the sunlight from reaching deep in the sea. As a result photosynthesis is either reduced or stopped in deep water plants and plants starts taking is O 2 and giving out CO 2 .

Thus using up more oxygen they die in large amount and decomposed by bacteria, causing further decrease in oxygen level. As a result of this decrease in O 2 level, fish and other animals start to die. This complete phenomenon is known as “eutrophication” .

The pollution due to nitrogen, mainly from agricultural run-off and wastewater has almost tripled the occurrence of low oxygen dead zones in past 30 years.

Another major source for sea pollution is agricultural waste.

Many fertilizers like DDT tends to get more and more concentrated as taken by higher consumers of a food chain e.g., fishes, growing in sea water with 0.1 part of DDT per billions part of water will have about 57 mg. of DDT per kg of body weight in higher animals. Other pesticides such as aldrin, endrin and dieldrin are even more dangerous and not biodegradable like DDT.

DDT level increase to 800 mg/kg. for large fishes which feed on these fish. When such small fish migrate from one sea to other also affect there aquatic life where no farmers to make use of DDT.

Like fertilizers and pesticides other chemicals used for various purposes such as in fire extinguishers, coolants in refrigerator A.C. and in paints cause chemical pollution of sea. Like DDT their proportion increase we go up in the food chain.

In recent years the use of trisodium nitrilotriacletate (NTA) to make water soft and alkaline, in place of sodium tripolyphosphate, is increased. NTA is biodegradable but forms complexes with metals like Hg, Pb, Cd and As which are poisonous.

Chlorinated and hydrogenated hydrocarbons used for fire extinguishers, propellants and as solvents and PCB (poly chlorinated biphenyls) used in electrical insulation, coolant, paints and lacquers leaks about 25% into environment during transportation and application out of this 1/10th finds way in sea.

Essay # 2. Causes of Marine Pollution:

(i) Oil Pollution:

The most important pollution of sea is oil. Hence we will discuss it here in details. Oil pollution of the sea normally attracts the greatest attention because of its visibility. There are several sources though which the oil can reach to the sea. Every year, approximately 3.5 million metric tons of the oil is released into the world’s oceans.

Sources of Oil Pollution :

Sources of oil input to the marine environment are often divided into natural, sea-based and land-based sources with four main categories of pollutants discharges through natural seeps, discharges during the extraction of oil, discharges during the transportation of oil, and discharges during the consumption of oil (including both sea-based and land-based sources).

These sources result in an estimated average of 706 million gallons of oil pollution entering our oceans each year. Of this, less than 10% is from natural seepage of oil from the ocean floor and eroding of sedimentary rock. The remaining 644 million gallons comes from human activities.

Offshore drilling, as a result of accidental spills and other operations, accounts for just over 2%. Large tanker spills, account for just over 5%. Air pollution from cars and industry accounts for just over 13% of the total, as the hundreds of tons of hydrocarbons land in our oceans from particle fallout aided by the rain, which washes the particles from the air.

Almost 4 times the amount of oil which comes from the large tanker spills, 19%, is regularly released into the ocean from routine maintenance, which includes boat bilge discharge as well as other ship operations.

By far, the greatest cause of oil in our oceans comes from drains and urban street runoff. Much of this is from improper disposal of engine oil. An average oil change uses 5 quarts of oil, which alone can contaminate millions of gallons of fresh water.

Crude oil from tanker accidents and offshore drilling is most likely to cause problems. Most people have seen the images of oil-coated animals and the large oil slicks surrounding the tankers after an accident.

The oil will spread over large areas often continuing to cause harm for many years. When quantities of surface oil are sufficient to coat animal fur and feathers, the animals cannot stay warm and will ingest the toxic oil while attempting to clean themselves.

Many of these oiled animals die as a result of ingesting these toxins. Many marine animals that do not die quickly as a result of the oil spill may develop liver disease and reproductive and growth problems because of ingestion.

Even very small quantities of oil will spread, floating on the surface of the water covering vast areas of water. These thin sheets can kill marine larvae, which in turn will reduce the number of marine animals.

(ii) Industrial Wastes:

Thousands of other pollutants also end up in the ocean. More than 2.8 billion gallons of industrial wastewater per day are discharged directly into ocean waters, excluding electric utilities and offshore oil and gas effluents. Heavy metals released from industry, such as mercury and lead, are often found in marine life, including many of those often consumed by humans.

The longer- lived, larger fish such as king mackerel, tilefish, swordfish and shark often contain harmful levels of the pollutant mercury, which can harm the developing brain and nervous system of children and fetuses. The chemical contaminants like pesticides, pharmaceutical agents, and biological contaminants like bacteria, viruses, and protozoa also found their way to sea.

Dioxins from the pulp and paper bleaching process can cause genetic chromosomal degradation in marine animals and may even cause cancer in humans.

PCB (polychlorinated biphenyl), which usually comes from older electrical equipment, typically causes reproduction problems in most marine organisms. Poly-aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) are another source of marine toxic pollution and typically come from oil pollution and burning wood and coal.

Ship industry has caused a great deal of damage to sensitive marine environments. A typical 3000 ship passenger can produce 255,000 gallons of wastewater and 30,000 gallons of sewage every day. All of this waste is normally discharged directly into the ocean.

This waste can contain bacteria, pathogens, medical waste, oils, detergents, cleaners, heavy metals, harmful nutrients (nitrogen amongst others) and other substances. These substances can be brought back to coastal areas as well as cause serious damage to the aquatic life in the sea, including posing a risk for contaminating seafood.

Nitrogen compounds can also contribute to environmentally hazardous algae blooms. Typically 75—85% of the solid waste from a ship is incinerated at sea adding to sea pollution as the toxins and ash settles back into the ocean.

Once in 1985 at Haji port of Bombay, about 80,000 fishes are were found dead due to industrial effluents containing cyanide irons and mercury. Due to mercury-poisoned fishes, about 20,000 people in Japan fell sick and many died in 1978. The disease was given the name Minamata on the name of the city of Japan.

Similar diseases due to metallic poisoning have already been reported by France, Belgium, England, Holland, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Ceylon. The compounds of mercury are highly toxic. In aquatic environment mercury gets converted into methyl mercury which accumulates in fish cells and through them in human beings.

Industrial effluents often contain metallic compounds. For example, Halifax, a small city in eastern Canada, discharged into its harbor during the 1990s about thirty-three tons of zinc and thirty-one tons of lead per year, with lesser amounts of copper and other metals.

These metals are held in the sediment in a relatively inert from, but if stirred up into the water column, they become oxygenated and toxic. Tin is another common pollutant in harbors. It occurs as tributyltin (TBT), which is used as component of antifouling paints on the undersides of ships.

When taken up by shellfish, it accumulates in their tissues and has proved toxic to the shellfish and to organisms that consume them. The United States began to phase out TBT in 1988, and it will be banned internationally in 2008.

Industry also produces organic compounds such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and various pesticides. These accumulate in the fatty tissue of plants and animals low in the food chain, and as they pass through the food web to larger and long-lived animals, there is an increase in concentration of the substances in their fat, a process known as bioaccumulation.

The St. Lawrence River, which drains the Great lakes, has accumulated large amounts of organochlorines, which have compiled in the tissues of Beluga whales. Many animals have tumors and disease. There is mounting evidence that chronic exposure to contaminants causes suppression of the immune responses of marine mammals. Similar problems have occurred with seals in the Baltic Sea.

Almost all rivers of the world are highly polluted and they carry the domestic sewage and mixture of industrial effluents into the sea without any treatment.

(iii) Agricultural Wastes :

Another serious type of marine pollution is nutrient pollution. This pollution is caused primarily from agricultural runoff that contains fertilizers and growth stimulants as well as from airborne nitrogen compounds that comes from automobile exhaust, industrial pollution and ammonia from manure. These cause eutrophic (over nutrient) conditions in coastal areas.

The main cause of eutrophication is excess nitrogen run-off from farm fertilizers, sewage and industrial pollutants. It reduces water clarity and depletes oxygen.

Reduced water clarity can starve sea grasses and algae that live in corals due to lack of light, which results in reducing their growth or killing them. While wind and waves aerate surface waters, the pycnocline layer acts as a barrier to oxygen exchange in bottom waters.

In major rivers, excess nutrients can be added as a result of fertilizer runoff, sewage, animal feed-runoff, or air pollution. The phytoplankton consumes these nutrients and oxygen which, in turn, causes a decrease in the amount of dissolved nitrogen and phosphorus in the water body. As the nutrients become depleted, the algae can no longer survive creating red tids.

The dead phytoplankton sinks to the bottom of the water column where they are consumed by decomposers. Since these decomposers break down the algae using dissolved oxygen. Resulting low oxygen levels can be detrimental to fish health; if dissolved oxygen drops to below 2 mg/1, mass fish kills can result.

This is known as hypoxia. The areas in which hypoxia has occurred are known as Dead Zones. Dead zones have been a factor in the Gulf of Mexico and Chesapeake Bay on the U.S. east coast, and are now spreading to other bodies of water, including the Baltic Sea, Black Sea, Adriatic Sea, Gulf of Thailand and Yellow Sea. There are now nearly 150 dead zones around the globe with some extending 27,000 square miles.

(iv) Marine Garbage :

Marine garbage disposal is another major form of ocean pollution. The world’s oceans are a virtual dumping ground for trash. Sometimes the garbage includes fishing nets, plastics and household garbage.

Garbage in the oceans is a serious issue as fish entangle themselves in fishing nets and animals sometimes eat trash products and die. There are numerous examples of dolphins, sharks and whales entangling themselves in fishing nets and dying from oxygen starvation.

Marine garbage can often enter into animal gut; plastic pop tab rings accidentally strangle animals and so forth. Controlling this form of pollution is important to maintain a healthy ocean ecosystem.

Even simple plastic bags can have large pollutive impacts within the ocean. In one case, a deceased sperm whale was found to have a plastic balloon blocking its digestive system. The whale died from inability to process its food and died of starvation. Plastics can also have negative impacts to boats if they accidentally plug water intake lines.

(v) Sewage Disposal in Ocean :

Sewage is yet another major source of marine pollution. Typically, the problem with sewage is that it causes massive nutrient loading in the ocean ecosystem. Nutrient loading triggers algal blooms in the water leading to the loss of dissolved oxygen. After the depletion of oxygen levels, many organisms in the ocean die from being unable to breathe properly.

The waste water release due to washing our clothes, faces, dishes and cattle, is ultimately headed to the sea. This includes everything from our homes (toilets, washing machines, bathtubs, dishwashers and so forth), industrial effluents and even chemicals such as paints and fertilizers that we dispose of down the drains.

(vi) Marine Debris :

Marine beaches serve as natural traps for marine debris. Globally, the most common materials are plastics, followed by glass and metal. The chief dangers to marine life result from the ingestion of these fragments, which may block the gut, and from entangling, which may cause suffocation or prevent locomotion and feeding.

In a survey of U.S. beaches close to urban centers, cigarette butts were the most abundant debris, followed by packing items (boxes, bags, caps, and lids), medical waste, and sewage. A high proportion of this material reached the sea by way of sewers. Even street litter can be washed into surface drains and then to the sea.

The dumping of sewage and waste by ships is another source. Public revulsion at the state U.S. beaches was a key factor in the enactment of stronger environmental protection laws, like the Ocean Dumping Ban Act of 1988 that prohibited the dumping of sewage into the ocean. On sites more remote from cities, pieces of rope and netting are the most common types of marine debris.

Essay # 3. Effects of Marine Pollution :

Apart from causing eutrophication a large amount of organic wastes can also result in the development of ‘red tides’ . These are phytoplankton blooms of such intensity that the whole area is discoloured. Many important, commercially important marine species are also killed due to clogging of gills or other structures.

When liquid oil is spilled on the sea, it spreads over the surface of the water to form a thin film called and oil slick. The rate of spreading and the thickness of the film depend on the sea temperature, winds, currents, and the nature of the oil.

Oil slicks damage marine life to a large extent. Salt marshes and mangrove swamps are likely to trap oil and the plants, which from the basis of these ecosystems, thus suffer. For salt-marsh plants, oil slicks can affect the flowering, fruiting and germination.

If liquid oil contaminates a bird’s plumage, its water-repellent properties are lost. Water then penetrates the plumage and displaces the air trapped between the feathers and the skin. This air layer is necessary as it provides buoyancy and thermal insulation.

With this, the plumage becomes waterlogged and the birds may sink and drown. Even if this does not happen, the loss of thermal insulation results in exhaustion of food reserves in an attempt to maintain body temperature, often followed by death.

Drill cuttings dumped on the seabed create anoxic conditions and result in the production of toxic sulphides in the bottom sediment thus eliminating the benthos fauna.

Fish and shellfish production facilities can also be affected by oil slicks. However, the most important commercial damage can come from ‘tainting’ which imparts an unpleasant flavor to fish and seafood and is detectable even at extremely low levels of contamination. This reduces the market value of seafood.

Some other Effects of Marine Pollution are:

(i) Decomposition of organic matter causes a drop in dissolved oxygen, particularly in calm weather and sheltered bays. This can cause the death of marine plants and animals, and may lead to change in biodiversity.

(ii) Effluent, rich in nitrogen and phosphorus, results in ‘eutrophication’ (over fertilization), which may cause algal blooms. These blooms can discolour the water, clog fish gills, or even be toxic, e.g., red tides. Microbial breakdown of dead algae can cause oxygen deficiencies.

(iii) Pathogenic microorganisms cause gastric and ear-nose-throat infections, hepatitis, and even cholera and typhoid. Filter feeding animals (e.g. mussels, clams, oysters) concentrate pathogens in their gut, so eating shellfish from polluted waters is a health risk.

(iv) Effects from industrial discharges in South Africa are generally limited to the area next to be discharge (the mixing zone). Water quality guidelines specify maximum levels of pollutants allowed in the receiving water.

(v) Oil spills prevent respiration in marine plants and animals.

(vi) In seabirds and mammals it can cause a breakdown in their thermal insulation.

(vii) Pesticides, such as DDT, and other persistent chemicals e.g., PCBs, accumulate in the fatty tissue of animals. These chemicals can cause reproductive failure in marine mammals and birds.

(viii) Ships often paint their hulls with anti-fouling substances, e.g., tributyl-tin or TBT, which prevents growth of marine organisms. These substances leach into water and, in high traffic areas such as harbors and marinas, can affect animal life.

(ix) Plastics kill many marine animals. Turtles, for example, often swallow floating plastic bags, mistaking them for jellyfish. Animals are often strangled when they become entangled with plastic debris.

Essay # 4. Policies to Protect the Marine Environment :

With the growing scope for national action, the need for regional action has also increased. Regional co-operation can be very cost effective in areas such as monitoring tanker traffic tracking down oil slicks, reinforcing inspection of ships, and providing mutual assistance in the case of emergencies.

Europe took a lead in this respect with the 1969 Bonn Agreement for the North Sea, the 1974 Agreements on the Baltic and on the North West Atlantic, and the 1976 Agreement on the Mediterranean Sea. More recently, it extended this lead with the revision of the Bonn agreement and the adoption of the Pairs Memorandum on Port State Control.

Action would be strengthened, however, if the authorities of a port state were in an effective position to initiate proceedings against tankers that discharge oil pollution into the economic zone of the port state or even into the economic zone of another state.

This is recognized in the new law of the Sea Convention. Regional co-operation could lead to agreements under which authorities in the states party to it would agree to assist each other in prosecuting tankers which violate international pollution prevention laws in their economic pollution prevention laws in their economic zones.

In effect, this would introduce the principle of non-discrimination, long advocated by OECD, into the field of marine pollution with violations of the law anywhere in the area being subject to prosecution in all ports of the area. It would greatly increase the effectiveness of measures taken by coastal states against ships that deliberately release oil at sea.

While the scope of national action and potential for regional action has increased, action at the international level remains vital. As oil is transported on a world-wide basis, most coastal states cannot reasonably impose measures on tankers visiting their harbors unless other states agree to do the same.

Moreover, oil transportation is to a large extent controlled by multinational corporations, and they can operate in various ways that make it difficult to pinpoint their liability, as the French authorities discovered with the amoco Cadiz.

Concerted international action started in 1954 with the “Convention of the Prevention of Pollution of the Sea by Oil.” and this was followed by an impressive series of conventions negotiated mostly within the framework of the IMO.

International action has been successful because these conventions were ratified ultimately by most of the major shipping nations-although there are a few outstanding exceptions such as Greece, Panama, and the United States.

It is a slow process, however, it took 10 years for the 1973 Convention on the Prevention of Pollution of the sea to enter into force and when it did only two of its parts came into force and they affected only 68 percent of the gross tonnage of the world fleet.

Nevertheless, this Convention is very significant, because it deals with concrete techniques and measures to reduce oil releases to the sea. In particular, it provides for the creation of reception facilities, the operation tankers with segregated ballast and crude oil washing and the use of oil separators.

With its entry into force in 1983, one can expect to see a significant reduction in oil pollution of the sea stemming from routine operations.

The 1982 Convention on the Law of the Sea is potentially the most important Convention for protection of the marine environment. It gives a special role to the coastal states in protecting their economic zones. It also gives enforcement powers to the port states and the coastal states in case of pollution incident and also in case vessels violate applicable international rules and standards relating to seaworthiness.

Between 1969 and 1984, ship-owners liability was reduced fourfold because of inflation. In 1969, the liability of the owner of a new 210,000 grt tanker was 71 percent of the value of the ship: in 1983 it was only 27 percent Increasing the liability of ship-owners for oil pollution at sea would no doubt, help to keep down accidental oil spills.

The principles in the Law of the Sea Convention will need to be developed and enforced at the national level, and states in regions such as Western Europe or the North Sea will have to examine and as far as possible, harmonize legal and practical measures to better protect their economic zones.

Tanker traffic in Western Europe is nearly always in national waters and most of it goes to Western European ports. A number of important states may not ratify this Convention, but all states will probably find it desirable to adopt environmental policies that reflect their new rights and duties in their economic zones.

(i) Floating Particulate Petroleum Residues :

A geographical plot of the location at which samples of floating particulate petroleum residues were collected clearly reflects the contribution to MAPMOPP from national and regional programs of marine pollution monitoring.

These programs provided detailed data for the North Sea and Norwegian Sea, both coasts of North America and the seas around Japan. In addition, data were collected along several transects of the North Atlantic and in the mid-Pacific. On the other hand, very few samples were collected south of the equator.

(ii) Seas Around Japan and Southeast Asia :

The most detailed study of dissolved dispersed petroleum residues during MAPMOPP was carried out in the seas around Japan.

As was the case with the Mediterranean data, two sub-populations were present, and the general level of contamination as indicated by the higher one was 0.19p.g/. This is remarkably low for an area through which there is a very large volume of tanker and ship traffic and where the data for oil slicks and floating tar indicated that high levels of pollution were present.

The highest levels of contamination in this region were in the waters east of Tokyo and Yokohama and the Sea of Japan, Concentration in the South China Sea and in the Strait of Malacca were 0.17 and O.I3jag/l, respectively. The latter, in particular, as a surprisingly low level in view of the massive amounts of oil that are transported through this very narrow passage.

(iii) Indian Ocean :

Data for dissolved dispersed petroleum residues in the India Ocean were clustered around the coastline of India and along a single transect between the Strait of Malacca and South Africa. This set of data contained very few values below 10 ng/l. While some values exceeded 300 µg/l (GM = 8.9 µg/l).

This suggests either that this region was much more highly polluted than any other area of the world ocean or that the data are suspect. Nevertheless, there was a tremendous difference between the concentration of dissolved/dispersed petroleum residues along the west coast (GM = 86.4 µg/l) and those along the east coast (GM = 0.7 µg/l) of India.

This, presumably, is a consequence of the tanker lane that passes along the west coast of India and across the Bay of Bengal en route to the Strait of Malacca and of the monsoonal circulation of surface water in this area.

(iv) North Sea:

MAPMOPP data for the North Sea were collected at a group of stations in the North Sea oil fields and along lines of stations extending from Norway to the Shetland Islands and across the Skagerrak to Denmark. These data were unique in that 81 of the 90 values were reported as zero and the remaining 9 were reported as either 0.1 or 0.5 (J.g/1. consequently).

A rigorous statistical analysis was not possible, although the data suggest that the general level of contamination in the North Sea is remarkably low for a semienclosed sea which is not only bordered by the most highly populated and industrialized countries of northern Europe but is also an area containing numerous offshore oil drilling platforms.

(v) Baffin Bay :

Most of the samples collected from Baffin Bay and Lancaster Sound contained dissolved/dispersed petroleum residues at concentrations less than 0.1 µg/l and none exceeded 1 µg/l.

Although this value was biased by many of the samples having been collected along the east coast of Baffin Island in areas where natural seepage of petroleum is known to occur the impact of this seepage on the water column is localized and has little effect on the levels of contamination in the region as a whole.

Furthermore, the surrounding land masses are only very sparsely inhabited, there is very little shipping and the sea is covered with ice during much of the year. Consequently, the major input of fluorescing non-polar organic compounds to this region is atmospheric fallout of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons produced from high temperature combustion of petroleum and other organic materials.

Therefore, Baffin Bay is one of the least polluted regions of the northern hemisphere, and the background level of dissolved/dispersed petroleum residues there can be taken as a baseline against which the levels of contamination in other areas of the world ocean can be compared.

(vi) North American East Coast :

The MAPMOPP data for the east coast of North America indicated that the general level of contamination in this area was 0.09 µg/l. It is noteworthy that the level of contamination in this area of concentrated fishing and active shipping should be the same as that observed in Baffin Bay.

(vii) Global Assessment :

MAPMOPP data for dissolved/dispersed petroleum residues were highly regional in character and so sparse over such enormous expanses of the world ocean that it is not possible to obtain a complete assessment of the levels of these substances on a global scale. Nevertheless, the data suggest some general trends.

Analysis of the data for the eastern hemisphere by 20° × 20° squares of latitude and longitude not only pointed out the paucity of the data but indicated an extensive area in the southwest Pacific where the level of contamination by dissolved/dispersed petroleum residues was around 0.1 µg/l, while somewhat higher concentrations were present in the waters adjacent to Japan.

Concentrations seemed to be remarkably low around Japan considering the amount of oil consumed in that country and were only slightly higher in the Strait of Malacca where tanker and other ship traffic converges while passing into the Pacific from the Indian Ocean.

Concentrations in the northern part of Indian Ocean were very much higher and reached 0.7 µg/l in the Bay of Bengal and along the east coast of India. The highest concentrations of all were found along the west coast of India where the geometric mean as 86.4 µg/l. Such high concentrations suggest that the water contained dispersed particles or droplets of oil from tankers that passed through the area.

Essay # 5. Control of Marine Pollution :

The control of marine pollution is really a difficult task, since it involves national as well as international issues.

Several methods are used to deal with accidental discharge of oil, but as with all pollutants, the only effective measure for controlling contamination by oil of the aquatic environment is the prevention of avoidable spills and releases. Bioremediation is considered a useful tool in which macro organisms are used to degrade the oil that has spread over the large surface. 

Cleaning oil from surface waters and contaminates beaches is a time- consuming and labor-intensive process. The natural process of emulsification of oil in the water can be accelerated through the use of chemical dispersants, which can be sprayed on the oil.

A variety of slick-tickers in which a continuous belt of absorbent to extract the oil have been designed. Rocks, barbor walls can be cleaned with high-pressure steam or dispersants after which the surface must be hosed down.

One way of reducing the pollution load on marine waters is through the introduction of sewage treatment plants. This will reduce the biological oxygen demand (BOD) of the final product before it is discharged to the receiving waters. Various stages of treatment such as primary, secondary or advanced can be used, depending on the quality of the effluent that is required to be treated.

(i) Primary Treatment:

These treatment plants use physical processes such as screening and sedimentation to remove pollutants that will settle, float or are too large to pass through simple screening devices. This includes stones, sticks, rags or any such material that can clog up pipes.

A screen consists of parallel bars spaced 2-7 cm apart followed by a wire mesh with smaller openings is used to separate these kind of pollutants. The polluted material collected on the screens is used in a device called a comminuter, which grinds the coarse material into small pieces.

After screening the wastewater passes into a grit chamber. The detention time is chosen to be long enough to allow lighter, organic material to settle. From the grit chamber the sewage passes into a primary setting tank (also called as sedimentation tank), where the flow speed is reduced sufficiently to allow most of the suspended solids to settle out by gravity.

If the waste is to undergo only primary treatment it is then chlorinated to destroy bacteria and control odors after which the effluent is released. Primary treatment normally removes about 35% of the BOD and 60% of the suspended solids.

(ii) Secondary Treatment:

There are three commonly used approaches:

Trickling filters, activated sludge process, and oxidation ponds. Secondary treatment can remove at least 85% of the BOD. A trickling filter consists of a rotating distribution arm that sprays liquid wastewater over a circular bed of ‘fist size’ rocks or other coarse materials. The spaces between the rocks allow air to circulate easily so that aerobic conditions can be maintained.

The individual rocks in the bed are covered with a layer of slime, which consists of bacteria, fungi, algae, etc., which degrade the waste trickling through the bed. This slime periodically slides off individual rocks and is collected at the bottom of the filter along with the treated wastewater and is then passed on to the secondary setting tank where it is removed.

In the activated sludge process, the sewage is pumped into a large tank and mixed for several hours with bacteria-rich sludge and air bubbles to facilitate degradation by microorganisms. The water then goes into a sedimentation tank where most of the microorganisms settle out as sludge.

This sludge is then broken down in an anaerobic digester where methane-forming bacteria slowly convert the organic matter into carbon dioxide, methane, and other stable end products. The gas produced in the digester is 60% methane, which is valuable fuel and can be put to many uses within the treatment plant itself.

The digested sludge, which is still liquid, is normally pumped out onto sludge drying beds where evaporation and seepage remove the water. This dried sludge is potentially a good source of manure. Activated sludge tanks use less land area than trickling filters with equivalent performance.

They are also less expensive to construct than trickling filters and have fewer problems with flies and odor and can also achieve higher rates of BOD removal. Thus, although the operating costs are a little higher due to the expenses incurred on energy for running pumps and blowers, they are preferred over trickling filters.

Oxidation ponds are large shallow ponds approximately 1-2 m deep, where raw or partially-treated sewage is decomposed by microorganisms. They are easy to build and manage, accommodate large fluctuations in flow, and can provide treatment at a much lower cost. However, they require a large amount of land and hence can only be used where land is not a limitation.

(iii) Advanced Sewage Treatment:

This involves a series of chemical and physical processes that removes specific pollutants left in the water after primary and secondary treatment.

Sewage treatment plant effluents contain nitrates and phosphates in large amounts. These contribute to eutrophication. Thus, advanced treatment plants are designed to specifically remove these contaminants. These plants are very expensive to build and operate and so are rarely used.

Related Articles:

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• 11 Important Uses of Marine System – Outlined Below

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ENCYCLOPEDIC ENTRY

Marine pollution.

Marine pollution is a combination of chemicals and trash, most of which comes from land sources and is washed or blown into the ocean. This pollution results in damage to the environment, to the health of all organisms, and to economic structures worldwide.

Biology, Ecology, Earth Science, Oceanography

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Marine pollution is a growing problem in today’s world. Our ocean is being flooded with two main types of pollution: chemicals and trash.

Chemical contamination, or nutrient pollution, is concerning for health, environmental, and economic reasons. This type of pollution occurs when human activities, notably the use of fertilizer on farms, lead to the runoff of chemicals into waterways that ultimately flow into the ocean. The increased concentration of chemicals, such as nitrogen and phosphorus, in the coastal ocean promotes the growth of algal blooms , which can be toxic to wildlife and harmful to humans. The negative effects on health and the environment caused by algal blooms hurt local fishing and tourism industries.

Marine trash encompasses all manufactured products—most of them plastic —that end up in the ocean. Littering, storm winds, and poor waste management all contribute to the accumulation of this debris , 80 percent of which comes from sources on land. Common types of marine debris include various plastic items like shopping bags and beverage bottles, along with cigarette butts, bottle caps, food wrappers, and fishing gear. Plastic waste is particularly problematic as a pollutant because it is so long-lasting. Plastic items can take hundreds of years to decompose.

This trash poses dangers to both humans and animals. Fish become tangled and injured in the debris , and some animals mistake items like plastic bags for food and eat them. Small organisms feed on tiny bits of broken-down plastic , called micro plastic , and absorb the chemicals from the plastic into their tissues. Micro plastics are less than five millimeters (0.2 inches) in diameter and have been detected in a range of marine species, including plankton and whales. When small organisms that consume micro plastics are eaten by larger animals, the toxic chemicals then become part of their tissues. In this way, the micro plastic pollution migrates up the food chain , eventually becoming part of the food that humans eat.

Solutions for marine pollution include prevention and cleanup. Disposable and single-use plastic is abundantly used in today’s society, from shopping bags to shipping packaging to plastic bottles. Changing society’s approach to plastic use will be a long and economically challenging process. Cleanup, in contrast, may be impossible for some items. Many types of debris (including some plastics ) do not float, so they are lost deep in the ocean. Plastics that do float tend to collect in large “patches” in ocean gyres. The Pacific Garbage Patch is one example of such a collection, with plastics and micro plastics floating on and below the surface of swirling ocean currents between California and Hawaii in an area of about 1.6 million square kilometers (617,763 square miles), although its size is not fixed. These patches are less like islands of trash and, as the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration says, more like flecks of micro plastic pepper swirling around an ocean soup. Even some promising solutions are inadequate for combating marine pollution. So-called “ biodegradable ” plastics often break down only at temperatures higher than will ever be reached in the ocean.

Nonetheless, many countries are taking action. According to a 2018 report from the United Nations, more than sixty countries have enacted regulations to limit or ban the use of disposable plastic items. The National Geographic Society is making this content available under a Creative Commons CC-BY-NC-SA license . The License excludes the National Geographic Logo (meaning the words National Geographic + the Yellow Border Logo) and any images that are included as part of each content piece. For clarity the Logo and images may not be removed, altered, or changed in any way.

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104 Marine Life Essay Topic Ideas & Examples

🏆 best marine life topic ideas & essay examples, 👍 good essay topics on marine life, ⭐ simple & easy marine life essay titles.

• Marine Degradation and Solutions in the Pacific Region The second issue related to the degradation of marine resources in the Pacific region is the unsustainable use of marine resources, including destructive fishing, which leads to changes in the number and health of species.
• Ocean Pollution and the Fishing Industry In essence, the activities of over six billion people in the world are threatening the survival and quality of water found in the oceans, lakes and other inland water catchment areas.
• Life in the Bottom of the Ocean and Its Protection While we all strive hard to detect and analyze the essence of life and the impact it has on our lives, we need to understand that life in itself is a big mystery, the truth […]
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• Climate Change Impacts on Ocean Life The destruction of the ozone layer has led to the exposure of the earth to harmful radiation from the sun. The rising temperatures in the oceans hinder the upward flow of nutrients from the seabed […]
• Living Resources of the Ocean The most commendable among the benefits of marine life to human life are the fact that marine life can act as food and the fact that some oceanic organisms have medicinal value.
• The Ocean Pollution Problem Overview Ocean pollution is the unfavorable upshot due to the entrance of chemicals and particulate substances into the ocean. The land is the key source of ocean pollution in the form of non-point water pollution.
• Ocean Currents: General Information There are generally two types of ocean currents depending on the water level where the movement of oceanic water takes place and they are the deep ocean currents and the surface ocean currents.
• Port Philip Bay and Sea Levels in Australia’s Geological History As the scientist explains, the phenomenon of the port’s emergence in the dry environment can be attributed to the fact that considerable water shrinkage could be observed in the area roughly 1,000 years ago.
• The Indian Ocean Tsunami of 2004 and Its Consequences The worst effects of the great wave were observed in Indonesia, where the death toll exceeded 160,000 people, and the overall damages almost reached $4.
• The Aral Sea’s Environmental Issues Prior to its destruction, the Sea was one of the biggest water bodies, rich in different species of flora and fauna; a case that is opposite today, as the sea is almost becoming extinct.
• The Aral Sea Problems, Their Causes and Consequences To identify and analyze the problems of the lake, its basin, and the entire region To discuss the causes and consequences of the lake’s destruction To evaluate the solutions proposed for ameliorating the consequences The […]
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• Marine Ecosystems in Oceanography Studies While oceanography students need to understand these aspects of ocean management, this paper focused on marine ecosystems, as a broad and useful topic in oceanography studies.
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• The Problem of Ocean Pollution in Modern World Wastes such as toxic matter, plastics, and human wastes are some of the major sources of pollution in the ocean. Many people consume fish as food; when marine life is affected by toxic substance in […]
• The Impacts of Oil Spills on Marine Life The intensity of aquatic effects is influenced by the nature and extent of the spilt oil. Besides, the severity might be influenced by the sensitivity and ambient state of the pretentious marine and their surroundings […]
• How Deep Sea Discoveries Inspires Professional Creativity Limited technological access to the deep seas should inspire one to focus on the necessary technology to build the most efficient deep-sea robots.
• Deep-Sea Currents and Upwelling Along Florida The thermohaline circulation influences the movement and population of the marine ecosystem and heat redistribution both in the sea and on the earth’s surface.
• Plastic Ocean Pollution on Ocean Life in U.S. Ocean plastic pollution has had a great impact on a minimum of two hundred and sixty seven species across the world and these include forty three percent of all of the sea mammal species, eighty […]
• Non-trophic Interaction in Marine Species An example of non-trophic relationships between marine species is decorator crabs and sponges. Decorator crabs and sponges’ relations are an example of mutually helpful non-trophic interaction mutualism.
• The Rising of Sea Level and Melting Glaciers: Analysis of the Issues In modern realities, the rate of warming of the World’s Oceans has increased. Global warming provokes the melting of ice in Greenland and Antarctica.
• How the Ocean Current Affect Animals’ Life in the Sea Depending on the strength of the ocean current, sea animals along the path are flown along with the water, and the animals are moved to new regions that are sometimes thousands of kilometers away causing […]
• Marine Surveying, Inspection and Safety Practices The importance of these conventions and rules was to address the need to access different ports in different countries based on uniform rules and standards acceptable to destination ports or countries in addition to maintaining […]
• The Global Ocean Conveyor Belt This ocean water phenomenon is a result of the temperature difference in the ocean waters between the warm, salty surface water, and the less salty cold water in the ocean depths.
• The Negatives of Fossil Fuel: Ocean Acidification and Human Health The adverse effects of burning oil are hard to overestimate. Unless specific and practical actions are taken to address the issues of global climate change and pollution issues and reduce reliance on oil, the future […]
• Impacts of Climate Change on Ocean The development of phytoplankton is sensitive to the temperature of the ocean. Some marine life is leaving the ocean due to the rising water temperature.
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• Autonomous Platforms in Marine Research One of the significant ideas that can increase the overall efficiency of the data collection process is the creation of networks of autonomous platforms.
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• Ocean Sustainability and Human Economic Activity The world economy and the livelihoods of hundreds of millions of people depend on the ocean. It is important to remember that the misuse of water resources and the effects of global climate change will […]
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• Mining and Ocean Use in Canada Cobalt, nickel, manganese, and copper are among the metals deep seabed mining seeks to extract from the polymetallic nodules on the seafloor and seamounts.
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• Visiting San Francisco Bay as Marine Protected Area San Francisco Bay Bridge will become the central place for this trip because it is just in the center of this view.
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Rockefeller University

Program for the human environment, let’s measure the abundance of marine life.

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Home — Essay Samples — Environment — Ocean Pollution — The Causes of Ocean Pollution and the Need for Humans to Save Marine Life

The Causes of Ocean Pollution and The Need for Humans to Save Marine Life

• Categories: Ocean Ocean Pollution Water Pollution

About this sample

Words: 1259 |

Published: Sep 14, 2018

Words: 1259 | Pages: 2 | 7 min read

Table of contents

Understanding the importance of ocean protection, addressing pollution and plastic waste, sustainable fishing and marine conservation, combating climate change and acidification.

• Reduce Single-Use Plastics : Minimize the use of single-use plastic items like bags, bottles, and straws by opting for reusable alternatives.
• Recycling Education : Promote education and awareness programs about proper recycling practices, including the separation and disposal of recyclable materials.
• Eco-Friendly Packaging : Support businesses that use eco-friendly packaging materials, such as biodegradable or compostable options.
• Plastic Cleanup Initiatives : Participate in or organize local beach clean-up events and river clean-up campaigns to remove plastic waste from the environment.
• Plastic-Free Purchasing : Choose products with minimal or no plastic packaging and encourage businesses to reduce excessive packaging.
• Community Awareness : Raise awareness within your community about the consequences of plastic pollution through workshops, seminars, and educational campaigns.
• Lobby for Policy Changes : Advocate for stricter regulations on plastic production, use, and disposal at the local, national, and international levels.
• Support Recycling Facilities : Encourage the development and accessibility of recycling facilities in your area.
• Adopt a Zero-Waste Lifestyle : Strive to reduce waste by composting organic materials, recycling, and making mindful consumption choices.
• Promote Eco-Friendly Products : Choose and promote products made from sustainable materials and that are designed for longevity and reusability.
• Boycott Microbeads : Avoid personal care products containing microbeads, which are tiny plastic particles that often end up in the ocean.
• Responsible Disposal : Ensure that your waste is properly disposed of in designated waste disposal facilities to prevent it from ending up in the ocean.
• Support Clean Technologies : Advocate for and support research and development of technologies to clean up plastic waste from the ocean.
• Engage in Ocean Cleanup Organizations : Contribute your time, resources, or donations to organizations focused on removing plastic waste from the ocean.
• Educational Programs : Encourage schools and educational institutions to incorporate environmental education programs that teach students about the impacts of plastic pollution.
• Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). (2019). Special report on the ocean and cryosphere in a changing climate. IPCC. https://www.ipcc.ch/srocc/
• National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). (n.d.). Why is the ocean important? NOAA National Ocean Service. https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/why-is-the-ocean-important.html
• Jambeck, J. R., et al. (2015). Plastic waste inputs from land into the ocean. Science, 347(6223), 768-771. doi:10.1126/science.1260352
• Marine Stewardship Council (MSC). (n.d.). About the MSC. https://www.msc.org/about-msc
• United Nations. (2015). Transforming our world: The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. United Nations. https://sdgs.un.org/2030agenda
• National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). (n.d.). Marine protected areas. NOAA National Ocean Service. https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/mpa.html
• National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). (n.d.). Ocean acidification. NOAA Climate Program Office. https://cpo.noaa.gov/Meet-the-Divisions/Climate-and-Societal-Interactions/CPO-COCA/Ocean-Acidification

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1 (page 3) p. 3 The marine environment

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The Global Ocean contains about 97 percent of the world's water. It is divided into five regional oceans: the Pacific, Atlantic, Indian, Arctic, and Southern Oceans. ‘The marine environment’ looks at these oceans, the composition of the water, the temperature, the light sources, water pressure, gases, and the living environment they contain. These oceans are teeming with life. Viruses are abundant, with around ten million per millilitre of seawater. Bacteria and other microorganisms occur at around 1 million per millilitre. There are hundreds of thousands of different species of invertebrates, fish, marine mammals, and marine reptiles living in the Global Ocean.

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Home / Essay Samples / Environment / Nature / Marine Life

Marine Life Essay Examples

Humans’ impact on marine life and what we can do to stop environmental cataclysmic effect.

Marine pollution is one of the greatest threats to humanity and nature. For instance, plastic pollution has recently become a disaster which has significantly created global issues. Plastic accumulation in our oceans and on our beaches has led to a global crisis. Billions of pounds...

The Green Sea Turtle: Conservation and Importance

The green sea turtle, known for its vibrant color and migratory behavior, holds a special place in marine ecosystems and the hearts of conservationists. As one of the seven species of sea turtles, the green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas) is not only a captivating marine...

Factors that Threaten Marine Life and Solutions to It

One of the reasons why the issue of ocean pollution is currently relevant is marine life. In this report, I want to note the importance of the ocean's ecosystem - and to explore the factors that threaten it. I am going to research various solutions...

Environmental Problems and Solutions: Bycatching

Environmental problems that we are facing today have not just come to happen overnight. It has taken years and even decades to get where we are environmentally today. A major impact that I see often from living in Florida, is bycatching. Bycatching is “the incidental...

The Utilization of Marine Protected Areas

Literature and studies to-date consists majorly of management approaches that only consider the biological significance. Whether it is talking about connectivity, habitat representation within the MPA, adequate size and dimensions, and the spill-over effect are all very active areas of analysis regarding MPAs. Many of...

Features of the Northeast Australia Marine Ecosystem

The Northeast Australia Marine Ecosystem is a Large Marine Ecosystem (LME) situated north east of the Australian marine border. It specifically lies off the coast of the State of Queensland. The ecosystem largely extends from Papua New Guinea in the north with Solomon Islands and...

Ecological Impact of Co2 Emissions on Coral Reefs

Corals are marine invertebrates that secrete calcium carbonate (CaCO3) to form a hard skeleton. They belong to the class Anthoxoa within the phylum Cnidaria. Corals live in large colonies made up of genetically identical polyps that secrete CaCO3 to make up coral reefs. Corals receive...

The Problem and Solutions to Overfishing

With marine life and ocean ecosystems occupying 70% of the earth, it is essential to keep them viable; however, overfishing threatens the sustainability, leading many fish and sea creatures to an imminent demise. Despite the world continually driving the downfall of fish markets and ecosystems,...

Coral Reefs and Global Warming: There is Hope

This literature review, meant for first year students studying climate change, focuses on the ability of coral reefs to survive global warming. Because of the recent temperature rise, coral bleaching has become more frequent and intense. Scientists are now focusing on the cause and effect...

Oil Spills and Its Effects on Marine Life

Crude oil is one of the major energy sources used for transportation but yet can cause a major ecological disaster among marine species. “One of the biggest oil spills that was into the Gulf of Mexico, The Deepwater Horizon (DWH). The Deepwater Horizon oil rig...

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