Marine resources are materials and attributes found in the ocean that

are considered to have value. That value can be intrinsic, or monetary.

They include a huge number of things: evaporative salts, biological
diversity, fish and seafood supplies, oil, petroleum and gas, minerals,
sand and gravel, renewable energy resources, tourism potential, and
unique ecosystems like coral reefs.
These resources can have great monetary value, and even when they
don't, the uniqueness and opportunity for education and human
enrichment cannot be quantified. The way we manage and use these
resources is therefore of great importance.
 A. Fresh Water Resources
 The oceans comprises about 1.4x109 km3 of water that is about 97.2
% of the total water resources.
 This water is not fit for human use and agriculture, but desalination
of saline water into fresh water through technology like reverse
osmosis can make it useful.
 B. Marine mineral resources
a) Minerals dissolved in seawater: There is 35 g of salt in 1 L of
seawater. Each cubic mile of seawater contains about 165 million
tons of solids making the 350 million cubic miles of water the
world’s largest continuous ore body. Sodium and chlorine are the
most abundant accounting for 85% of the sea’s dissolved salts.
b) Surface deposits: consists of the deposits found on the continental
shelf, the continental slope and in the deep sea zone.
c) Sub-surface deposits: the most important of the subsurface
deposits are oil and natural gas. These are two deposits represent
90% of the mineral value presently taken from the sea.
The minerals mined for resources can be further classified into five
groups, viz.
1) Construction material: sand, gravel, and other high bulk materials
2) Industrial material: silica sand, phosphates, sulfur and aragonite
3) Metallic minerals, like gold, platinum, tin, titanium and are earth
materials
4) Metalliferous oxides, which contain manganese, copper, nickel and
cobalt
5) Metalliferous sulfides, including copper, lead, zinc, chromium, and
gold.
 C. Marine energy resources
Deuterium is an isotope of hydrogen. It is the most important raw
material for the fusion process. The oceans contain 25 trillion tonnes
of it.
Ocean thermal energy conversion system, also known as solar sea
power plants uses the temperature difference between the deep cold
ocean water and warm tropical surface waters to run a power cycle
and generate electricity. This power cycle is similar to those used in
traditional thermal power plants, but at lower overall temperatures.
The rise and fall of tides can be used to generate electricity; favorable
conditions for the generations of tidal energy are found in coastal areas
with a large range or in narrow channels with swift tidal currents.
Tidal energy: Tidal power or tidal energy is a form of hydro-power that converts
the energy obtained from tides into useful forms of power, mainly electricity.
Although not yet widely used, tidal energy has potential for future electricity
generation. UK, France, South Korea.
Wave energy: wave power is the transport of energy by wind, and the capture of
that energy to do useful work- for example, electricity generation, water
desalination, or the pumping of water into reservoirs.
Offshore wind energy: wind power is the use of air flow through wind turbines to
mechanically power generators for electric power. Wind power, as an alternative
to burring fossil fuels, is renewable, widely distributed, clean, produces no
greenhouse gas during operation, consumes no water and uses little land.
 D. Marine food resources
Ocean contain variety of living organisms, where some of them serve
as a food for human.
Fishes are highly useful source of human nutrition.
Mollusks: shelled creatures; oysters, mussels, clams, and
squid/octopus.
Crustaceans: crabs, shrimps, and lobsters.
 Uses of marine resources
Fisheries: Oceans contain some of the largest and most valuable
fisheries resource in the world. Fishes are mostly used for food.
Oil and gas: oceans contain significant oil and gas resource potential
as evidenced by recent discoveries and on-going research.
Minerals: many minerals can be mined from the deep sea, such as
gold, nickel, cobalt, copper, manganese and zinc; and with limited
reserves on land, deep-sea mining is an attractive, albeit very
expensive prospect.
Renewable energy: oceans have the richest and most accessible
renewable energy (wind, wave, tidal) resources in the world.
Sand and gravel: Marine aggregates are used mainly in the construction industry
for building, and for the manufacture of concrete. The UK alone uses 13 million
tonnes of sand and gravel each year for construction.
Marine tourism: humans use the sea for leisure in many different ways, from
scuba diving to whale watching, surfing to sailing, jet-skiing to fishing
CO2 capture and storage: One way that scientists are trying to mitigate climate
change is the capture and storage of CO2 from the atmosphere.
Habitats: marine habitats such as coral reefs, support biodiversity, which we rely
on for food (fish), medicines (from certain marine species we get painkillers and
cancer drugs), tourism.
Nutrient cycling: Nutrients are essential to life-without them plants could not
grow, and could not survive. Oceans play a vital role in cycling several nutrients.
 Blue economy
Blue economy is an emerging popular concept which revolves around safeguarding
the world's oceans and efficiently using of water resources for
sustainable growth and development. The idea of 'blue economy' was first
articulated by Gunter Pauli in 2010 and later discussed at the United Nations
Conference on Sustainable Development, Rio + 20 in 2012.
World Bank: the blue economy is the “sustainable use of ocean resources for
economic growth, improved livelihoods, and jobs while preserving the health of
ocean ecosystem.”
European Commission: “All economic activities related to oceans, seas and coasts.
It covers a wide range of interlinked established and emerging sectors.”
SDG goal 14: Life below water
Part of green economy
 The Blue Economy – Opportunities
@MoFA
1) Shipping and Port Facilities- 80 percent of global trade by volume, and over 70 per cent
by value, is carried by sea and handled by ports worldwide. For developing countries, on a
national basis, these percentages are typically higher. World seaborne trade grew by 4% in
2011, to 10.7 billion tonnes by 2017 and container traffic is projected to triple by 2030.
Coastal countries need to position themselves in terms of facilities and capacities to cater
for this growing trade and optimize their benefits. Shipping is the safest, most secure,
most efficient and most environmentally sound means of bulk transportation – with
declining rates of accidents, terrorist incidents, improving turnaround of ships and
significant reductions in discharges to sea or emissions to air. Much of these advances
have been made possible as a result of IMO’s regulations, industry initiatives and
technological developments; by helping to build technical maritime capacity in developing
countries, where some 70%-75% of the world’s merchant fleet is now registered.
2) Fisheries: The world has elevated recognition of the essential role of
fisheries and aquaculture for food security and nutrition in the
context of climate change and employment of millions of people,
many of whom struggle to maintain reasonable livelihoods, especially
in the developing world. Total fish production in 2016 reached an all-
time high of 171 million tonnes, of which 88 percent was utilized for
direct human consumption, thanks to relatively stable capture fisheries
production, reduced wastage and continued aquaculture growth. This
production resulted in a record-high per capita consumption of 20.3 kg
in 2016. The sector’s contribution to economic growth and the fight
against poverty is growing. Strengthened demand and higher prices
increased the value of global fish exports in 2017 to USD 152 billion, 54
percent originating from developing countries.
The United Nations’ 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its 17
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) offer a unique, transformative and
integrative approach to shift the world on to a sustainable and resilient path that
leaves no one behind. Food and agriculture are key to achieving the entire set of
SDGs, and many SDGs are directly relevant to fisheries and aquaculture, in
particular SDG 14 (Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine
resources for sustainable development). Human activity has directly and markedly
reduced ocean productivity; additional deficits may be due to climate change
increasing ocean stratification and reducing nutrient mixing in the open seas.
Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS) and LME assessments show significant
warming trends from which model projections 2040-2060 forecast a steady
decline in ocean productivity.
3) Aquaculture- Aquaculture is the fastest growing global food sector
now providing 47% of the fish for human consumption. Global fish
production peaked at about 171 million tonnes in 2016. The total first
sale value of fisheries and aquaculture production in 2016 was
estimated at USD 362 billion, of which USD 232 billion was from
aquaculture production. Between 1961 and 2016, the average annual
increase in global food fish consumption (3.2 percent) outpaced
population growth (1.6 percent) and exceeded that of meat from all
terrestrial animals combined (2.8 percent). In per capita terms, food
fish consumption grew from 9.0 kg in 1961 to 20.2 kg in 2015, at an
average rate of about 1.5 percent per year.
In 2015, fish accounted for about 17 percent of animal protein
consumed by the global population. Despite their relatively low levels
of fish consumption, people in developing countries have a higher
share of fish protein in their diets than those in developed countries.
Aquaculture with fed species, if not managed properly, can impact
biodiversity and ecosystem functions through excessive nutrient
release, chemical pollution and the escape of farmed species and
diseases into the natural environment. Aquaculture under the Blue
Economy will incorporate the value of the natural capital in its
development, respecting ecological parameters throughout the cycle of
production, creating sustainable, decent employment and offering high
value commodities for export.
4) Tourism- Marine and coastal tourism is of key importance to many developing
countries. Tourism is a major global industry; International tourist arrivals grew 7.0%
in 2017, the highest increase since the 2009 global economic crisis and well above
UNWTO’s long term forecast of 3.8% per year for the period 2010 to 2020. A total of
1,326 million international tourist arrivals were recorded in destinations around the
world, some 86 million more than in 2016. In addition to the US$ 1,340 billion in
tourism receipts earned in the destinations (the travel item of the Balance of
Payments), international tourism generated another US$ 240 billion from
international passenger transport services rendered to non-residents. Total exports
from international tourism therefore reach US$ 1.6 trillion, or US$ 4 billion a day on
average. As a worldwide export category, tourism ranks third after chemicals and
fuels and ahead of automotive products. In many developing countries, tourism is
the top export category. Higher education courses need to deliver a solid grounding
in the specific skills needed to maintain and increase market share in a discerning
and competitive global market.
5) Energy- In 2018 offshore fields accounted for more than 33% of
worldwide crude oil production and this is projected to rise to 34% in
2025 and higher subsequently, as almost half the remaining
recoverable conventional oil is estimated to be in offshore fields - a
quarter of that in deep water. While offshore oil production has been
relatively stable since 2000, natural gas output from offshore fields has
risen by more than 50% over the same period. Offshore electricity
generation, mainly from wind, has increased rapidly in recent years.
Offshore wind is a rising force, but remains for the moment a relatively
marginal one at 0.2% of global electricity generation; wind and other
marine technologies face stiff competition from a range of onshore
options, including other low-carbon sources of generation.
Deep water oil drilling is not new, but market pressures are making the
exploration for and tapping of evermore remote reserves cost effective,
bringing the most isolated areas under consideration. Methane
hydrates, a potentially enormous source of hydrocarbons, are also
being explored and tapped from the seabed. Oil will remain the
dominant energy source for many decades to come but the Ocean
offers enormous potential for the generation of renewable energy –
wind, wave, tidal, biomass, and thermal conversion and salinity
gradients. Of these the offshore wind energy industry is the most
developed of the ocean based energy sources. Global installed capacity
was only a little over 6 GW in 2012 but this is set to quadruple by 2014
and relatively conservative estimates suggest this could grow to 175
GW by 2035.
6) Biotechnology and marine genetic resources- Biotechnology market
size will reach USD 775.20 billion by 2024. Rising prevalence of chronic
diseases have increased the demand for innovations similar to DNA
sequencing, micro assays and recombinant DNA technologies to
develop therapeutic solutions. Food scarcity in highly populated
countries of India and China have resulted in urgent need for high
yielding crop varieties through agricultural technologies. Researchers
across the globe are developing GM crops to address the concern of
limited land availability, inconsistent rainfall and pest attacks and
produce high yielding crops that can sufficiently feed the growing
population. Marine biotech has the potential to address a suite of
global challenges such as sustainable food supplies, human health,
energy security and environmental remediation.
Marine genetic resources like bacteria are a rich source of potential drugs. In 2017
there were over 36 marine derived drugs in clinical development, including 15 for
the treatment of cancer. One area where marine biotech may make a critical
contribution is the development of new antibiotics. The potential scope is
enormous, by 2017 more than 14,000 novel chemicals had been identified by marine
bio prospecting and 300 patents registered on marine natural products. The
unexplored and understudied nature of much of the underwater world means that
the capacity of marine organisms other than fish and shellfish to provide inputs to
the blue economy is only just beginning to be appreciated, partly through new gene
sequencing technologies for living organisms. There have already been successes.
The anti-viral drugs Zovirax and Acyclovir were obtained from nucleosides isolated
from Caribbean sponges. Yondelis, developed from small soft-bodied marine
animals was the first drug of marine origin to fight cancer. In the next stage, around
20-25 years from now and subject to technological breakthroughs, the blue
biotechnology sector could become a provider of mass-market products, together
with a range of high added value specialised products.
7) Submarine mining-The world is gearing up for the exploration and exploitation
of mineral deposits on and beneath the sea floor. Industry, due to rising commodity
prices, is turning its attention to the potential riches of polymetallic nodules,
cobalt crusts and massive sulphide deposits; the latter a source of rare earth
elements, such as yttrium, dysprosium and terbium, important in new ICT
hardware and renewable energy technologies. Commercial interest is particularly
strong in polymetallic nodules and in seafloor massive sulphides. The International
Seabed Authority has developed the Mining Code regulations to meet these
changing circumstances and has commenced issuing licenses for the exploration of
the international sea floor. Coastal countries need to prepare themselves to ensure
they realize optimal benefits from resources in their own EEZs and likewise that
their concerns are incorporated into the measures to manage the coming race for
the riches of the seabed. The exploitation and mining of minerals, other than
sand and gravel, from the sea have just started.
By 2020, 5% of the world's minerals, including cobalt, copper and zinc could come
from the ocean floors. This could rise to 10% by 2030. Global annual turnover of
marine mineral mining can be expected to grow from virtually nothing to €5 billion in
the next 10 years and up to €10 billion by 2030. It may also become economically
feasible to extract dissolved minerals, such as boron or lithium, from seawater. The
most promising deposits are found in metallic sulphides which emerge from
hydrothermal ore deposits (such as 'black smokers') in volcanically active zones. The
temperatures and pressures in these regions are extreme and the impact of
disturbance on these hot spots of marine biodiversity, which under the UN
Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) should be protected, is largely unknown.
However there are opportunities outside jurisdictional marine areas. In these areas,
the International Seabed Authority (ISA) is responsible for organizing and controlling
activities, including monitoring all mineral-related activities. Their continued
competitiveness depends on access to finance in an inherently risky market, targeted
research and development in extraction techniques, the ability to obtain licences in
international waters and robust measures to avoid harming unique ecosystems.