Editorial: Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom , Volume 98 , Issue 4

The world ocean covers more than two-thirds of the planet and provides a huge resource to humankind. The Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute website (http://www.whoi.edu/) carries some fascinating global marine information including the observation that 44% of the world's population lives within 150 km of the ocean. In Europe 43% of the population live within ‘coastal regions’ and the coastal strip is noted as a primary tourist destination. The benefits of this on human health and well-being are beginning to be realized (White et al., Reference White, Pahl, Wheeler, Fleming and Depledge2016). However, with an increasing global population we live in an era where anthropogenic pressures, particularly on the coastal strip, are increasing. Halpern et al. (Reference Halpern, Frazier, Potapenko, Casey, Koenig, Longo, Lowndes, Rockwood, Selig, Selkoe and Walbridge2015) noted that in the previous five years, cumulative impacts of 12 anthropogenic stressors had affected some 66% of the ocean. This year, in the UK, we have seen a marked increase in public awareness of man's impact on the ocean thanks to high profile television programming and popular public campaigns regarding plastic pollution. Public concern and appreciation for the marine environment is certainly at a high point.