Threats to Oceans

Covering more than 70 percent of the Earth’s surface, oceans are some of the most productive, yet threatened, natural systems in the world. The demands of a growing population are damaging marine ecosystems and depleting ocean and coastal resources, but the Conservancy is working to combat these threats through new and innovative strategies.
Increasing use of marine resources and accelerating coastal development are resulting in the loss of important marine habitats like wetlands, coral reefs, sea grass beds and barrier islands. With partners, The Nature Conservancy implements on-the-ground restoration projects and uses collaborative, science-based methods to help return coastal habitats to healthy conditions for the benefit of people and nature.
Overfishing and destructive fishing practices are threatening important resources, fishing livelihoods and the economic viability of coastal communities. We take successful strategies used on land—the acquisition and management of natural resources through ownership, easements, and leases—and applying them to oceans and coasts. In California, the Conservancy purchased trawling permits and vessels in an effort to protect a vast swath of ocean off the coast of central California and help reform a troubled fishery.
Land-based activities such as deforestation, urbanization and agriculture are degrading water quality and reducing the essential quantity of freshwater flowing to estuaries. Whether in coastal areas or hundreds of miles inland, people and industry impact our oceans, decreasing water quality to the point where fish and other marine life cannot survive. Conservancy scientists work with landowners, farmers and other partners to advance water policies that will help protect rivers, lakes and wetlands.
And on a global scale, the growing impacts of climate change – higher water temperatures, rising sea levels and escalating ocean acidity – are dramatically increasing the conservation challenge. We analyze the impacts of global climate change and develop tools and strategies to lessen these harmful impacts in the water, such as building the resilience of coral reefs to bleaching caused by warming seas.