What are Land-based Sources of Marine Pollution?
The major threats to the health, productivity and biodiversity of the marine environment result from human activities on land in coastal areas and further inland. About 80% of the pollution load in the oceans originates from land-based activities. This includes wastes and run-off from municipal, industrial and agricultural activities, as well as deposits from the atmosphere. These contaminants affect the most productive areas of the marine environment, including estuaries and nearshore coastal waters. The marine environment is also threatened by physical alterations of the coastal zone, including destruction of habitats of vital importance to maintain ecosystem health. The impacts from land-based activities include closures of shellfish growing areas, degraded beaches, destroyed habitat and contaminated sites.
