ABSTRACT
The processes of life seem to take on a special richness and diversity in ecological transition zones and at interfaces. Since the coastal environment is influenced by a large number of human activities—fishing, the release of effluents, construction, and the extraction of oil, gravel, and minerals,—the scope for natural-resource management must be greatest in this zone. Any population of animals produces a certain amount of waste, and it is arguable that using the marine environment to handle organic matter is both rational and legitimate. Approach to managing the natural resources of the coastal environment is the creation of marine parks and reserves. In a global survey made by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources, only two countries in northern Europe—Denmark and the United Kingdom—are cited for taking this approach, and only the Danish reserves have received clear legal status.
