ABSTRACT
This chapter looks at the ecology, economics and sustainable management of estuarine and marine resources and ecosystems. It identifies ecological and economic analyses that have been undertaken on estuarine and marine degradation and management. The frequent mismatch between the characteristics and functions of the ecological systems, and human institutions and policies developed to use them, has led to ecosystem degradation and biodiversity loss. Coastal and estuarine ecosystems form the interface between continental lands, and oceanic islands and their surrounding seas. The over-exploitation of fish stocks and the failure to take into account the structure, function and resilience of the ecosystem upon which the fish stocks depend have led to the impoverishment of marine and estuarine ecosystems. Salmon farming in cages requires lots of resources collected by fishing vessels operating over vast marine ecosystems. There are several critical challenges to be addressed by ecologists and economists working together for biodiversity conservation in estuarine and marine ecosystems.
