Marine Debris: Benefits, Costs, and Choices

Abstract

Marine waters and the marine environment provide many services for society. In the United States, some of these services are produced and distributed as a part of the formal and organized economy that we call the market system. Large quantities of goods are shipped. Naval vessels ply the seas and offer protection to citizens of many nations. Fishermen harvest fish and shellfish. In addition, there are many services that are highly valued but less a part of the formal economy. Recreationists enjoy the amenities offered by the marine environment. The amazing variety of flora and fauna in the ocean is a source of aesthetic services to many humans. Furthermore, the ocean serves as a valuable receptor for the wastes and residuals that result from many different kinds of productive activities. This paper addresses problems and prospects of one particularly troublesome use of the marine environment, the deposition of persistent pollutants: marine debris.