Saving the shallows: focusing marine conservation where people might care

As marine conservation and food security problems loom ever larger, we must address the reality that too few people act in support of the ocean. The key to popular engagement with marine conservation lies in making the ocean seem familiar and valuable, so that its care becomes a matter of personal responsibility rather than an abstract notion and a tiresome chore. To that end, it’s time we tried emphasizing the plight of life at the ocean’s fringes, which I define as less than 10 m deep, as a stepping-stone to marine conservation in general.

Vincent, A.C.J. (2011). Saving the shallows: focusing marine conservation where people might care. Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems 21(6):495-499.Aquatic Conservation 21:495-499. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/aqc.1226