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The threats to our sealife
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Basking sharks, the world's second biggest fish, are among the many marine creatures we are putting under ever-increasing pressure because of our actions.
Our oceans are under more pressure than ever before.
We scour the seabed, build in the sea, dump our waste in it, and harvest its riches - often with little thought for the future.
Our seas are rich in wildlife, yet many of our precious habitats and species are under threat, or in decline, because of these activities.
From declines in availability of food, to competition for space with development and lethal entanglement in marine litter and fishing gear, our seabirds face a daily battle to survive.
These ever-increasing pressures are putting animals such as magnificent basking sharks, delicate cold water corals, exotic seahorses and the 26 species of seabird that nest along our coastline, at risk.
In short, our marine wildlife is amazing, but we are pushing our seas to their limits.
Seas vulnerable to exploitation
For centuries, the seas have been used as a source of food and a highway for shipping.
Fishing can be one of the most damaging activities in the marine environment. Over-fishing leads to the depletion of fish stocks, while some fishing methods damage seabed habitats and trap and drown unsuspecting animals, such as seabirds, seals, turtles and dolphins.
Shipping also creates pollution and there is the risk of oil spills from accidents, while rubbish discarded overboard can end up in the stomachs of marine animals or entangling seabirds.
The UK has come to depend on fossil fuels, such as oil and gas, which are extracted from under the seabed. This has led to the building of offshore platforms and seabed pipelines. While recent improvements have been made to counteract and eliminate the pollution impacts from this exploitation, it doesn't mean that accidents don't still happen.
And there are fresh challenges for our marine environment on the horizon as we look to the sea to provide increasing renewable energy and recreational opportunities.
To ensure that our coast continues to be rich in wildlife, all these different uses need to be carefully managed and balanced.
Urgent protection needed
New laws in England, Wales and Scotland provide a full range of legal tools for better protection and management of our seas, ensuring that our activities and developments at sea are not pushing the marine environment to, or past, its limits.
Because our seas are so important, and our wildlife so vibrant, we are working hard to ensure that these laws protect all marine wildlife and seabirds.
We are also continuing our campaign in Northern Ireland to deliver the necessary legislation to protect marine wildlife in their waters.
Last modified: 01 September 2011