Marine and estuarine protection: programs and activities

Coastal and marine waters are being viewed more and more as a unique resource. The very richness of the coastal environment has led to increasing migration of the nations population to the coast. The EPA has identified 6 major concerns that have arisen from human impact on the coastal areas. These 6 problems are toxic contamination, pathogen contamination, eutrophication, habitat loss, changes in living resources, and persistent marine debris. Historically, the ocean has been one of several options for the disposal of society's wastes. Most people assumed ocean waters had an inexhaustible capacity to assimilate wastes without harming ocean living resources. There has been a growing public perception that assimilative capacity is not infinite and Congress enacted measure to protect the costal environment from further destruction. This book goes into detail of the effects that the 6 problems are having on the marine environment and the laws that have been enacted to counter-act these effects. Also near coastal activities are discussed along with information on specific places that have suffered and how they have attempted to solve these problems.