Around the world, marine ecosystems are being threatened, degraded, damaged or destroyed by human activities, one of which is pollution (Looser, Froescheis, Cailliet, Jarman & Ballschmitter: 661-670). As Jenssen (2003: A198) puts it:
The rapid population growth and enormous urban and coastal development in many of the world's coastal regions have caused considerable concern that anthropogenic pollution may reduce biodiversity and productivity of marine ecosystems, resulting in reduction and depletion of human marine food resources. In addition...,. Pollution reduces the aesthetic value and also the intrinsic value of the marine environment, whether the pollution is visual (such as oil pollution and plastic debris) or invisible (such as chemical compounds). Another main reason for concern about marine pollution is related to the direct effects of pollution on human health. Because many pollutants accumulate in marine organisms, humans are exposed to pollutants when they consume food from polluted areas.
With respect to marine pollution, Clark, Frid and Attrill (2001: 1-145) report that there are several types of marine pollution that are currently threatening to or outright damaging ocean waters. These can be listed as follows: oil, sewage, garbage, chemicals, radioactive waste, and thermal pollution. The purpose of this paper is to examine, in detail, the precise effects that have been caused by these pollutants in the oceans of the world.
Clark, Frid and Attrill (2001: 62-69) report that millions of tons of oil yearly pollute the seas. The sources of this pollution are: (1) oil transportation (e.g., spills, scrapping of ships, tanker operations, etc.); (2) fixed oil installations such as costal refineries, offshore production, and marine terminals); and (3) population and urban sources such as municipal and industrial wastes. In addition, there are natural inputs of oil into the sea through such mechanisms as biosynthesis...