Marine pollution is caused by sewage sludge, industrial effluents, detergents, agrochemicals, solid wastes, plastics, metals and waste heat polluting the oceans. The main sources are rivers carrying pollutants from drainage basins, coastal areas with human settlements and industry, and oil drilling and shipment. Effects of marine pollution include mortality in phytoplankton, zooplankton, algae, invertebrates, fish, birds and mammals exposed to oil. A 1989 oil spill in Alaska damaged coral reefs and killed around 390 thousand birds. Controls of marine pollution require preventing toxic discharges, runoff, sewer overflows, and dumping hazardous waste and sl

1. MARINE POLLUTION

2. WHAT IS MARINE POLLUTION?
 Pollution of oceans caused by sewage sludge, industrial
effluents, detergents, agrochemicals, solid wastes,
plastics, metals and waste heat is called marine pollution.
 The causes of Marine Pollution
The main sources of marine pollution are
(i) rivers, which bring pollutants from their drainage basins,
(ii) Catchment area i.e. coastline where human settlements
in the form of hotels, industry, agricultural practices have
been established, and
(iii) oil drilling and shipment.

3. EFFECTS OF MARINE
POLLUTION
Oil in the sea water affects sensitive flora and fauna.
Phytoplankton, zooplankton, algal species, various species of
invertebrates, coral reefs, fish, birds and mammals are
affected by oil pollution.
Fishes show mortality (death) because the fish gills get laden
with oil after the slimy mucus of gills is affected. Oil disrupts
the insulating capacity of feathers. Death occurs due to loss of
buoyancy and subsequent drowning of birds.
Leakage from oil tanker near Alaska in 1989 caused damage to
coral reefs and resulted in death of about 390 thousand birds.
Some important incidents of bird mortality due to oil have
been reported at Brittany, France where 20 thousand birds
died due to more than 220 tonnes of iol spillage in 1978.

4. CONTROL OF MARINE
POLLUTION
Toxic pollutants from industries and sewage treatment plants
should not be discharged in coastal waters.
Run off from non-point sources should be prevented to
reachcoastal areas.
Sewer overflows should be prevented by having separate
sewer and rain water pipes.
Dumping of toxic, hazardous wastes and sewage sludge
should be banned.

5. CONTROL OF MARINE
POLLUTION
Developmental activities on coastal areas should be mini-
mized.
Oil and grease from service stations should be processed for
reuse.
Oil ballast should not be dumped into sea.
Ecologically sensitive coastal areas should be protected by
notallowing drilling.