The marine environment has deteriorated to an extent that it begun impact human health and the planet itself. primary cause of this deterioration as identified are, increasing population, industrial revolution increased use fossil fuels. While damage done cannot be undone, can lessened by better understanding ocean monitoring future pollution using technology. Such effort will help achieve sust...

Thank you Admiral Watkins and commission members for allowing me this opportunity to draw your attention to two recent reports of the National Academies that address what are arguably two of the most significant challenges to coastal and marine environmental quality: oil pollution and nutrient pollution. A decade ago public concerns about marine pollution were driven by the dramatic footage fro...

The Baltic Sea is a unique ecosystem that especially sensitive to anthropogenic pressure. We analysed human pressure in this sea, which may be considered as paradoxes. One of these, paradox “marine” pollution. almost totally surrounded by land and therefore sources marine pollution are located mainly on the land. Another connected with shipping traffic intensity maritime accidents. characterise...

Environmental pollution is a growing concern and, more importantly, pollution of the aquatic ecosystem is alarming. Bivalves are commonly used as bio-indicators of marine pollution. In the present study the Perna viridis was exposed to cadmium, copper, lead and zinc concentrations under longterm chronic toxicity for the estimation of biochemical biomarkers. Significant differences in TBARS leve...

Dispersants are a preapproved chemical response agent for oil spills off portions of the U.S. coastline, including the Texas-Louisiana coast. However, questions persist regarding potential environmental risks of dispersant applications in nearshore regions (within three nautical miles of the shoreline) that support dense populations of marine organisms and are prone to spills resulting from hum...

Rocky shores provide a harsh environment for marine organisms and we briefly discuss natural sources of variation in community structure before considering anthropogenic impacts in detail. We review impacts caused by (a) acute disturbances: oil spills, toxic algal blooms and (b) chronic disturbances: nutrient pollution, oil, heavy metals, pesticides, antifouling paints, collecting, trampling/ha...

The recent Diplomatic Conference held (1-5 October 2001) by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) in London adopted the Draft Convention prepared by The Marine Environmental Protection Committee (MEPC) of IMO for the "Control of Harmful Anti-fouling Systems for Ships." The convention has been developed to immediately ban the use of Tributyltin (TBT) globally in anti-fouling paints to "p...

Histological assessment of the effects of environmental pollutants on marine organisms includes consideration of trends which develop that may link a closely related group of compounds to a representative tissue or organ response. Definition of such a relationship could benefit adjudication of water pollution controversies and, thus, the enforcement of public water pollution laws. Evidence base...

Major oil spills can have long-term impacts since oil pollution does not only result in acute mortality of marine organisms, but also affects productivity levels, predator-prey dynamics, and damages habitats that support marine communities. However, despite the conservation implications of oil accidents, the monitoring and assessment of its lasting impacts still remains a difficult and daunting...