Marine biodiversity conservation

Marine biodiversity is the essential foundation for the structure and functioning of ocean ecosystems and for providing the full range of ecosystem services that benefit humans on local, regional, and global scales. These benefits include many visible as well as unseen functions and services such as the oxygen we breathe, the seafood we eat, the support of local livelihoods, the marine plants storing 'blue' carbon and protecting our shorelines, the medical and biochemical compounds found in marine species, the coral reefs we explore when scuba diving, and the charismatic creatures inspiring our lives. All these benefits are provided by the diversity and interplay of ocean life, from tiny plankton and bacteria to 30 metre whales and giant kelp.