The fates of the ocean and humanity are increasingly intertwined. Ocean health and human health intersect in other important, but sometimes less obvious ways. Fishery declines have been linked to human trafficking when, for example, child and slave labor is used to capture increasingly rare fish. Another example: some analysts suggest that piracy in Somalia and West Africa can partially be explained by disenfranchised fishermen turning to violence in order to protect decreasing offshore fish stocks.

 

The value of ocean resources is particularly important for poor countries. Fishery net exports from developing countries alone have been valued at $37 billion, or more than value of meat, tobacco, rice, and sugar exports combined, according to a report published in 2018 by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). Wealthier nations are also dependent on ocean resources.

 

The ocean is more than a beautiful home to inspiring wildlife; it is a critically important source of nutritious food, income, jobs, and global stability. The ocean yields $2.5 trillion annually in goods and services, according to a “conservative” estimate published in 2017 by the consultancy BCG, making it equivalent to one of the largest single economies in the world. The ocean provides millions of jobs in fishing, aquaculture, tourism, energy, transportation, and biotechnology.