Assessment of Land-based Sources and Activities. Affecting the Marine Environment
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Date
1997
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The Red Sea and Gulf of Aden (Figure 1.1) constitute a unique ecosystem with high biological diversity. Their natural resources provide a substantial economic support for the region: in addition to the fishery industry, which has ensured food security to many people of the region and created jobs for others, tourism is an ever growing and increasingly important industry for commerce and other economic activities. Hence, the marine environment should be well protected from the adverse impacts of pollution to ensure the sustainable use of its resources and good health of its users. Continuous degradation of the marine environment poses a threat to public health through the contamination of seafood, direct contact and digestion of polluted water. Damage to the marine ecosystems adversely affects the tourism and fisheries. The preservation of a high level of biological diversity is essential for the future protection of human health, as the taxonomic knowledge of the species is still far from complete. It is thus essential to guard against the extinction of the largest possible number of species and strains, among which are some that may in the future provide us with food and medicine or be used in the biological control of pests and pathogens (WHO 1992). In general, the main sources of marine pollution come from land-based activities, including urbanization and coastal development (for example, dredging and filling operations), industries including power and desalination plants and refineries, recreational and tourism, waste water treatment facilities, power plants, coastal mining and quarrying activities, oil bunkering and habitat modification like dredging and filling of wetlands. In the present report, the main sources of land-based pollution in each country of the region and the region as whole have been addressed and prioritized. On the basis of the priorities established, the report defines specific management objectives and identifies and evaluates the effectiveness of strategies and programmes to achieve them. It also identifies the elements needed to support the related programmes of action.Publisher or University
UNEPCollections