The value of our oceans

People love the oceans. Millions of tourists flock to the world’s beaches, and whale and turtle watching, snorkelling and diving leave people in amazement of the beauties of marine life. Zoos and public aquaria, TV documentaries and even big screen cinema conveniently bring the experience of the marine world to our homes. And there, we enjoy the variety, fine taste and healthiness of seafood. The oceans give a lot – but we have not been very thankful.

The marine environment is in a dire state. Fish stocks, particularly those of greater economic value, are under heavy pressure from overfishing. Destructive fishing practices such as bottom trawling and dynamite fishing destroy the very coral reefs that are home to the fish. Coastal development claims beaches where turtles were born and to which they can no longer return to lay their eggs. Mangrove forests are cleared to make way for shrimp farms.

And climate change and ocean acidification may prove to be the hardest challenges for our oceans’ species, habitats and long established food webs. And although the problems are known, solutions have been found and promoted extensively, the world is still a far cry from halting the loss of bio diversity.

With this report we want to take an economic angle in shedding light on the values we receive from the oceans and the life therein, but which we usually take for granted. The marine environment, its habitats and species have shaped and are still shaping our world, our culture and many people’s daily lives. We want to show what the loss of healthy oceans will mean to our economies and individual people’s incomes and livelihoods. We want to show what we lose if we don’t change.