This article by freelance environmental writer Ted Williams discusses the Pew Oceans report linked above and its implications for marine life, ocean fisheries, and ecosystems. Williams, who is a regular contributor to magazines such as Fly Rod & Reel and Audubon, is known for his thorough research and no-nonsense style of writing. In this article, which was first published in the Nov. 2003 edition of Fly Rod & Reel, discusses the impact of high seas fisheries on marine ecosystems, overfishing, and how short-sightedness by the fisheries industry and many policy makers has contributed to the bleak state of the world's oceans. He also discusses how new proposals for ocean management are offering much hope for recovery. This article is reprinted here with his kind permission. A full collection of his writings is available in my Ted Williams Archive.

America's ocean and coastal regions - which provide wildlife habitat, commercial fish stocks, mineral reserves, travel ways, recreation, and more—are under increasing pressure as more and more people exploit marine resources, leaving environmental damage in their wake. This 1997 book from the National Research Council arm of the National Academy of Sciences discusses the state of scientific knowledge on the impact of human activities on marine ecosystems and the urgency for sound decision making in the management of marine resources. An expert committee proposes principles, goals, and a framework for marine area governance, including new governance structures at the federal and regional levels and improvements for existing governing and regulatory systems. Recommendations include using tools—such as zoning and liability—for resolving conflicts between users, controlling access to marine resources, and enforcing regulations.