ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the way human beings have had an effect on the marine environment. It focuses on distribution and consumption of seafood. The growth of regional, natural, and local cuisine has a strong effect on the kinds of foods that people value. Culture also affects the amount of seafood eaten in different parts of the world, and often dramatic changes in preferences and taste. Japan is surrounded by seas, and complex coastal seascapes are productive fishing sites for a variety of species, and even inland communities consume fish as the primary source of protein in their diet, including many freshwater fish. Economists and environmentalists use the term "externalities" to describe costs that are not borne by those who produce and sell goods. In Central and South America, prehistoric peoples practiced agroforestry, tending, and cultivating forest trees they valued for food and medicine.
