'An excellent comprehensive survey of the main problems confronting our seas and coasts.' Jens Sorensen, International Coastal and Ocean Organization 'An extremely important contribution to marine science and a superb way of consolidating large amounts of complex information, and putting it into a format and language that can only enhance our understanding of the marine world around us.' Greg Stone, Senior Vice President for Marine Conservation and Chief Scientist for Oceans, Conservation International 'Hinrichsen is one of the best writers specializing in ocean and coastal issues.' Stephen B. Olsen, Director, Coastal Resources Center, University of Rhode Island

Don Hinrichsen is the author of many books on the environment and development, including Coastal Waters of the World, Our Common Future and the Atlas of the Environment. Now Senior Development Manager at the Institute of War and Peace Reporting in London, he has worked with UN agencies, governments and NGOs in some 60 developing countries.

Introduction Part I: People and Coasts 1.1 Population Growth along Coasts 1.2 Urbanized Coastlines 1.3 Eroding Shorelines Part II: Major Threats To Ocean Resources 2.1 Ocean Ecosystems under Threat 2.2 Coastal Dead Zones Americas: Gulf of Mexico, Chesapeake Bay, Montevideo Europe: including Baltic Sea Africa, Asia & Australia Black Sea diagram. Sea of Japan. 2.3 Collapsing Coastal Resources 2.4 Coral Reefs in Peril 2.5 The Empty Ocean Part III: Trade, Commerce and Tourism 3.1 Major Shipping Lanes 3.2 Energy from the Sea: Off Shore Oil & Gas Production 3.3 Tourism 3.4 Farming the Sea: Marine culture and Aquaculture Part IV: Climate Change 4.1 Climate Conveyor Belt 4.2 Impact on Coastal Areas: Rising Seas 4.3 Extreme Weather Events 4.4 Ocean Acidification 4.5 Disappearing Arctic 4.6 Antarctic: The Shrinking Continent Part V: Seas in Conflict 5.1 Contested Islands 5.2 Resource Conflicts 5.3 Piracy: A Growth Industry Part VI: Management of Coastal and Marine Areas 6.1 Sustainable Management of Coastal Areas and Fisheries 6.2 Shared Seas and Management Plans 6.3 Marine Protected Areas 6.4 Ocean Zoning