ABSTRACT
In the twenty-first century, the world is becoming increasingly dependent on the economic, social and environmental benefits derived from ocean and coastal services and resources. This is of course primarily true of those countries that have coastlines but, as Bruce McCormack has suggested in the preface to this book, even those communities that lie far inland from the sea will benefit as well. The ‘ocean economy’ has become a recognized and measured contributor to national gross domestic product (GDP) (Pauli, 2010; Economist Intelligence Unit, 2015). According to the national account of many countries, the ocean economy and marine-based industries may produce from 1-5% of their GDP (Park and Kildow, 2014). Not only has there been greater emphasis on implementing strategies to develop the economic sector, but there is also an increasing urgency for protection of marine resources. This is mirrored by Sustainable Development Goal 14, which is to conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development.
