Oceans: Source of life, food and employment

Oceans cover three-quarters of the Earth´s surface, contain 97% of our planet´s water and represent 99% of the planet´s living space in terms of volume.

Globally, the market value of marine and coastal resources, and their industry, is estimated at 3 trillion dollars per year or approx. 5% of global GDP.

Oceans house nearly 200,000 identified species; however, real numbers may well be in the millions.

Oceans absorb around 30% of human produced carbon dioxide, buffering the impacts of global warming.

Oceans are the world´s largest source of protein. Over 3 billion people depend on oceans as their main source of protein.

Marine fisheries directly or indirectly employ over 200 million people.

Fishery subsidies are contributing to the rapid depletion of many species preventing efforts to save and restore worldwide fisheries and related jobs, causing ocean fisheries to generate 50 billion dollars less per year than they otherwise might.

Open sea areas show that current acidity levels are 26% higher than at the beginning of the Industrial Revolution.

Coastal waters are deteriorating due to pollution and eutrophication. Without concerted efforts, coastal eutrophication is expected to increase in 20% of large marine ecosystems by 2050.

Source: United Nations