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Oceans and Human Health , Social and Economic Impacts

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Encyclopedia of Sustainability Science and Technology

Introduction

The social and economic impacts of the oceans on humankind are enormous. There are both positive and negative impacts, and they include both impacts from the oceans on humankind and anthropogenic impacts on the oceans. Further, these impacts range from the tangible and quantifiable (e.g., fish catch data and coastal tourism expenditures) to the intangible and not easily quantifiable or perhaps not quantifiable (e.g., lost work days due to gastroenteritis acquired from seafood).

Definition of the Subject and Its Importance

America’s oceans and coasts are big business! The US has jurisdiction over 3.4 million square nautical miles of ocean territory in its exclusive economic zone (EEZ) . In 2000, the ocean economy contributed more than $117 billion to American prosperity and over two million jobs. This contribution is 1.5 times greater than agricultural employment,...

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Abbreviations

Epidemic:

The incidence of disease above the normal or endemic incidence.

Exclusive economic zone:

In general, the EEZ of a nation extends seaward 200 nautical miles from its shoreline.

Food intoxication:

Illness caused by the ingestion of food that contains a toxic substance.

Foodborne disease:

A disease that is caused by the ingestion of pathogens conveyed by food including seafood.

Marine aquaculture:

Aquaculture is the raising of aquatic animals and plants for commercial purposes. Marine aquaculture is the rearing of marine and estuarine animals. Marine aquaculture is sometimes referred to as mariculture.

Pandemic:

An epidemic of worldwide proportions.

Pathogenesis:

The production or development of a disease, specifically the cellular reactions and other pathologic mechanisms occurring in the progression of the disease.

Waterborne disease:

A disease that is transmitted by water.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Coastal Sciences, The University of Southern Mississippi, 703 East Beach Drive, Ocean Springs, MS, 39564, USA

    Dr. Darrell Jay Grimes Ph.D.

  2. Pharmacognosy, Pharmacology, Chemistry & Biochemistry, The University of Mississippi, 407 Faser Hall, University, MS, 38677, USA

    Dr. Mark T. Hamann Professor of Pharmacognosy, Pharmacology, Chemistry & Biochemistry

  3. Institute of Marine and Environmental Technology, University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, Baltimore, MD, 39564, USA

    Dr. Mark T. Hamann Professor of Pharmacognosy, Pharmacology, Chemistry & Biochemistry

  4. Department of Coastal Sciences, Ecology and Epidemiology of Parasites and Pathog, Gulf Coast Research Laboratory, The University of Southern Mississippi, 703 East Beach Drive, Ocean Springs, MS, 39564, USA

    Dr. Jeffrey M. Lotz

  5. Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern Mississippi, 118 College Dr., #5018, Hattiesburg, MS, 39406-0001, USA

    Timothy I. McLean

  6. Gulf Coast Research Laboratory, The University of Southern Mississippi, 703 East Beach Drive, Ocean Springs, MS, 39564, USA

    Dr. Thomas McIlwain

  7. Department of Casino, Hospitality, Tourism Management, College of Business, The University of Southern Mississippi, 118 College Drive #5021, Hattiesburg, MS, 39406-0001, USA

    Catherine H. Price

Authors
  1. Dr. Darrell Jay Grimes Ph.D.
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  2. Dr. Mark T. Hamann Professor of Pharmacognosy, Pharmacology, Chemistry & Biochemistry
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  3. Dr. Jeffrey M. Lotz
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  4. Timothy I. McLean
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  5. Dr. Thomas McIlwain
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  6. Catherine H. Price
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Darrell Jay Grimes Ph.D. .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. RAMTECH LIMITED, Larkspur, CA, USA

    Robert A. Meyers

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Grimes, D.J., Hamann, M.T., Lotz, J.M., McLean, T.I., McIlwain, T., Price, C.H. (2012). Oceans and Human Health , Social and Economic Impacts . In: Meyers, R.A. (eds) Encyclopedia of Sustainability Science and Technology. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-0851-3_834

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