Environment

Map shows toll on world's oceans

by Jarrett Martineau | February 14, 2008 at 06:37 pm

1169 views | 9 Recommendations | 14 comments

The BBC is reporting on the environmental devastation being wrought on the world's oceans. View the map here.

Only about 4% of the world's oceans remain undamaged by human activity, according to the first detailed global map of human impacts on the seas.

A study in Science journal says climate change, fishing, pollution and other human factors have exacted a heavy toll on almost half of the marine waters.

Only remote icy areas near the poles are relatively pristine, but they face threats as ice sheets melt, it warns.

The authors say the data is a "wake-up call" to policymakers.

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chelseaaaaaa

at 21:12 on February 14th, 2008

I was at the beach and wanted to take a picture of the water. The waves were small, but I wanted to try and show them in the picture. I laid down on the ground to take this shot. It was the perfect angle.

chelseaaaaaa has contributed a photo to this story.

gumpwu

at 06:01 on February 15th, 2008

at Hong Kong Ocean Park - Aquarium

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BLMvisuals

at 07:49 on February 15th, 2008

Antofagasta - Chile - 2008

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Seneb

at 08:17 on February 15th, 2008

This photo was taken in St. John, USVI, while snorkeling in Trunk Bay.

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hakahonu

at 10:41 on February 15th, 2008

Sunset mimizan plage,surfeur //////////////////

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Maireid Sullivan

flagged this story as Good Stuff

at 15:44 on February 15th, 2008

Jarrett Martineau, Thank you for sharing this important information.

jonlunsford

at 20:04 on February 15th, 2008

this is the pacific ocean at sunset on the central coast of california in a small beach town called Cayucas. It's part of a small HDR series i was working on. The whole central coast line of where i live is full of evidence of people. Rather it's trash or the hydro power plant that smogs up most of the area. Just the other day i went hiking up highway 1 and just when i thought i'd reached a place where no one one be there's all kinds of bear cans or water bottles. first of all who climbs a freaking mountain to drink beer and climb down drunk?? i dunno... But a friend of mine will always bring an empty backpack when we hike and usually when we're done it's full of the most random trash. There's also a huge seal population along highway 1 and the other night there was a baby seal trying to cross the road at least a half mile from the water... so being the intelligent human beings we are we gently cradled it in a sleeping bag and carried it back to the water. The seal was actually very calm and quiet, it may have even fallen asleep during the walk. There's a lot to tell about this area and there's a lot you have to see for your self.

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eliXa

at 12:42 on February 16th, 2008

This is the fair Isle of Palms, just off the coast of South Carolina. The beaches are kept beautifully clean, and the island authorities are very strict in enforcing environmental protection. It takes a concerted effort not only to keep the beaches clean from human waste, but also to recover from natural disasters like hurricanes which bring human wastes in beyond natural erosion.

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aka Ka1L3y 28 F

at 16:23 on February 16th, 2008

Whispering waves of Luguna Beach, California..off the pier during September 2007. Early evening...admiring the view of the ocean while sight seeing. The damage that people are doing to our mother earth is not only affecting the quality of life for the creatures of the sea but also taking away the innocence and purity of the true value of life. Photo taken by: Pablo Sifuentes, Comment By: Amanda Sifuentes of IL.

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aka Ka1L3y 28 F

flagged this story as Good Stuff

at 16:25 on February 16th, 2008

Jarrett Martineau, I like this story. It's good stuff.

joanna.kostka27

at 11:15 on February 17th, 2008

joanna.kostka27 has contributed a photo to this story.

joanna.kostka27

at 11:23 on February 17th, 2008

This picture was taken in Zipolite, Mexico. Many believe that the name Zipolite comes from the Nahuatl word meaning "beach of the dead" - "playa de los muertos" . The riptide in this place is extreme and drownings are depressingly common. Zipolite is still not spoiled by big-scale tourist developments. Everything is resolutely small-scale. Lets hope that it will stay like this a little bit longer. The sunset are spectacular !

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jmv

flagged this story as Good Stuff

at 06:35 on February 18th, 2008

I've always been worried about coastal pollution, particularily along the southern coast of China; just looking at Google Earth Sat maps made me worried. This is a nice global recap of the predicament.