Forty percent of the world's population lives with 100 kilometers of a coastline, an area that accounts for only about 20 percent of the land mass.

• Forty percent of the world's population lives with 100 kilometers of a coastline, an area that accounts for only about 20 percent of the land mass.

• Population increase and conversion for development, agriculture, and aquaculture are reducing mangroves, coastal wetlands, seagrass areas, and coral reefs at an alarming rate.

• Fish and shellfish provide about a sixth of the animal protein consumed by people worldwide. A billion people, mostly in developing countries, depend on fish for their prime source of protein.

• Coastal ecosystems have already lost much of their capacity to produce fish because of overfishing, destructive trawling techniques, and destruction of nursery habitats.

• Rising pollution levels are associated with increasing use of synthetic chemicals and fertilizers.

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