The Ocean and Us

About this book

The Ocean and Us provides an overview of our contemporary understanding of the ocean and all the ways our lives interact with it. It is intended for everyone with an interest in our blue planet. The book brings together the expertise of over 35 ocean specialists from around the world. It explores a wide variety of themes including the importance of a healthy ocean in the fight to halt and contain climate change. It covers issues such as overfishing and pollution, as well as emerging themes such as the blue economy, marine animal welfare and how we can leverage innovation to protect the ocean. The book provides an overview of some of the world's iconic threatened and at risk ocean ecosystems, and outlines current governance structures and ocean management tools. It also discusses the important social dimensions between people and the ocean, such as ocean and human wellbeing, communities and the ocean, and who gets to participate in the ocean space. The book aims to enhance ocean literacy by making specialist concepts accessible to non-experts, with a view to empowering concerned citizens everywhere to come into action for the ocean, and pave a better way forward for humanity.

Contents

Part I: Climate Change and the Ocean
- 1. Introduction to Climate Change
- 2. Warming, Acidification and Deoxygenation of the Ocean
- 3. Blue Carbon
- 4. Fishes and Carbon
- 5. Whales and Climate

Part II: Fisheries and Food from the Ocean
- 6. State of the World's Fisheries-Legal Overfishing
- 7. Fish Crimes (Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated Fishing)
- 8. Aquaculture: Farming Food from the Sea
- 9. Shark Fishing and Shark Finning
- 10. The Move to Sustainable Seafood

Part III: Ocean Pollution
- 11. Plastic and the Ocean
- 12. Shipping and the Ocean
- 13. Oil Spills
- 14. Ocean Noise Pollution

Part IV: Threatened and at Risk Ocean Habitats
- 15. The Deep Sea
- 16. Coral Reefs
- 17. Antarctica and the Southern Ocean: Our Last Great Wilderness
- 18. Top of the World-The Arctic Ocean
- 19. Coastal Habitats

Part V: How We Manage the World's Oceans
- 20. Ocean Governance
- 21. Marine Protected Areas
- 22. Ensuring a Sustainable and Equitable Blue Economy
- 23. Leveraging Innovation for Ocean Conservation

Part VI: Humans and the Ocean
- 24. Oceans and Communities
- 25. Tourism and the Ocean
- 26. The Aquarium Trade
- 27. Marine Animal Welfare: A Growing Concern
- 28. Ocean and Human Health

Part VII: Diversity and Inclusion in the Ocean Space
- 29. Gender and the Ocean: Marine Resources and Spaces for All
- 30. Racial-Gender Disparities, and the Impacts of Coloniality in Ocean Science on BIPOC Women
- 31. Lived Experiences: Editors' Note

Part VIII: Inspiring Voices
- 32. Inspiring Voices: Inka Cresswell, Jamila Janna, Merrisa Naidoo, Louisa Ponnampalam, Vatosoa Rakotondrazafy, Jo Ruxton MBE, Marilyn Slett, Patima Tungpuchayakul

Index

Customer Reviews

Biography

Farah Obaidullah is an independent ocean advocate and the founder of Women4Oceans. She has worked around the world to address the most pressing issues facing the ocean including: overfishing, fish crimes & labour abuse in the seafood sector, protected areas, and the need for a global treaty to protect life on the high seas. Her career includes 11 years with Greenpeace as a senior oceans campaigner. Farah has presented at the UN, INTERPOL, on various TV shows and at ocean forums.