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UNDERSTANDING

The Importance of Protecting the Marine Environment:

e d i u G s r e r a f a e S A

To report a pollution incident involving your vessel, you should contact the National Response Center. The National Response Center (NRC) is the sole federal point of contact for reporting oil and chemical spills. To report a spill, contact the NRC via their toll-free number +1 800-424-8802 or complete an online spill-report form at http://www.nrc.uscg.mil. The NRC website contains additional information on reporting requirements and procedures. For those without 800 access, please contact them at +1 202-267-2675. The NRC operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. These materials produced in cooperation with the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and the Massachusetts Maritime Academy.

Illustrations: Lisa Lavoie Brochure design: BlissDesign.com

The Center for Seafarers Rights at the Seamens Church Institute (SCI) publishes this and other resources on environmental issues to equip you with information on your rights while employed and to help you inform other seafarers. We encourage questions, comments and suggestions from readers.

Water: e c r u o s e r l a r u t a an
The worlds water plays a very important role in all aspects of our lives, providing food, employment and other benets. Over two-thirds of the worlds population lives within 400 km of the sea, and just over half of the worlds population lives in a coastal strip 120 miles wide. As many as half a billion people draw their livelihoods from the sea in one way or another processors, packers, shippers, ship builders and others. Ocean ecosystems provide goods and services valued at at least several trillion dollars per year, and millions of people earn their living directly from the sea.

THE IMPORTANCE OF

PROTECTING THE MARINE ENVIRONMENT

What Is the Marine Environment?


Oceans, covering over 70% of our planet (i.e.139 million square miles, or 360 million square kilometers): G Contain 97% of the earths water G Marine ecosystems hold 80% of all life on the planet

Why Is the Marine Environment Important?


G Most of the earths oxygen is a product of photosynthesis in ocean
organisms

G The fresh water on the earths surface comes from the oceans G The ocean moderates the earths climate and affects the weather

What Benets Does the Marine Environment Provide Humankind?


G G G G G
Food (Every year, about 75 million tons of fish are caught.) Jobs Medicines Minerals Coastline protection

THE IMPORTANCE OF

What Impact Do Humans Have on the Marine Environment?


Human activity can alter the oceans with:
G Natural resource development (e.g., offshore drilling) G Aquaculture (e.g., farm-raised fish) G Shipping
Pollution (e.g., oil, chemicals, trash, sewage) Exotic species introduction (i.e. ships moving from place to place bring organisms with them to places where they dont belong, disrupting the local marine environment)

G Fishing
Overfishing Practices that damage the environment (e.g., bottom trawling, drift nets, bycatch)

G Recreation With the rise in the worlds population, the use of the ocean and its resources has increased, as has the devastation that results from the accumulation of pollutants in the marineenvironment.

Pollution has an effect on:


G Entire marine ecosystems G Public health G Our marine resources

PROTECTING THE MARINE ENVIRONMENT

(fisheries, tourism and shipping costs)

To ensure the oceans survival for future generations, we all must do our part to protect it.

What is marine pollution?


Marine pollution occurs when hazardous materials enter the ocean. These materials can come from: G Marine transportation G Marine dumping G Offshore facilities Because of the vastness and complexity of marine ecosystems, we may not always know the extent of marine pollutions effects.

THE IMPORTANCE OF

Marine pollution can take many forms, such as: Garbage


G Plastics thrown into the sea can stay
there for many years and harm marine life. A huge number of marine animals die every year from either ingesting or becoming entangled in plastic trash. on propellers and in seawater intakes.

G Garbage can also threaten ships and raise costs when it becomes trapped

Sewage
G Sewage contains chemicals that alter the marine environment, causing
some marine life to die and other marine life to flourish. This throws off the natural balance of marine ecosystems.

G Sewage can also deprive marine environments of oxygen,


killing off entire populations in affected areas.

Products with potentially harmful effects


G When released into the oceans, chemicals used in the shipping industry
(sometimes referred to as chemical runoff) can cause harm to marine life as well as to maritime workers. oceans water, killing plants and damaging the entire marine ecosystem.

G Oil poisons marine life, and oil slicks keep sunlight from penetrating the G Noise from a ships sonar can have devastating effects on marine animals
like whales and dolphins that use sound to communicate with one another.
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PROTECTING THE MARINE ENVIRONMENT


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THE IMPORTANCE OF

How Does Shipping Pollution Impact the Marine Environment?


Ocean currents take pollutants far from the site of the initial contamination. Shipping pollution can have devastating effects on the marine environment. These effects include: G Mechanical effects on marine life, which damage the organisms
functions

G Eutrophic effects, which cause some forms of bacteria to flourish at the


cost of other forms of ocean life

G Saprogenic effects, which cause oxygen deficiency and kill ocean


organisms

G Toxic effects, which damage reproduction, feeding and respiration G Mutagenic effects, which cause cancer and wound marine organisms G Effects from oil spills can quickly devastate the marine environment
(Ten minutes after a spill of one ton of oil, it can spread to a radius of 50meters, forming an oil slick 10 millimeters thick.)

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PROTECTING THE MARINE ENVIRONMENT

Conclusion

umans depend on the marine environment for many things, and we have a very large impact on it. If we want to continue to depend on the marine environment, we have to do a better job of controlling our useof it. Seafarers play a critical role, as they earn their living from the sea and can set an example for each other and for the rest of the world.

We hope this is a helpful general guide for you and your shipmates to protect the environment while promoting a safe and efficient workplace. Remember, the actions of you and your fellow crew members can have a lasting impactits critical that communication on board is clear and constant. To contact the Center for Seafarers Rights, please email us at csr@seamenschurch.org or call +1 973-589-5828. Douglas B. Stevenson, Director

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2011 The Seamens Church Institute of New York and New Jersey

seamenschurch.org

To view this pamphlet online, visit http://seamenschurch.org/environmental-guide

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