Introduction 

How do humans use the ocean? What are the potential impacts of such uses on the natural environment? In what ways (legal, economic, political, or social) can we reduce or eliminate negative impacts and enhance positive impacts?

Welcome to Marine Affairs 100, Human Use and Management of the Marine Environment. In this course, we will begin to answer these questions by exploring coastal and marine resources and the ways in which humans interact with these resources. Throughout the semester, you will become familiar with some of the laws that have been developed to manage human interactions with the ocean, the people who use and/or appreciate marine resources, and the different approaches available for managing human activities.

Management of human uses in the marine environment requires creative ideas and solutions to complex problems. As we spend time examining current management issues, I encourage you to think about how we might improve upon the traditional ways of dealing with these issues. Be prepared to share your thoughtful and creative ideas during class discussions!

Description

In the first part of the course, you will gain a basic understanding of the natural features of the ocean and you will learn how coastal and marine resources are currently managed. Specific attention will be given to management efforts in the United States and in the Rhode Island region. In the second part of the course, we will explore several management issues in detail. Discussion of each management issue will be accompanied by a case study of a recent regional example. In the final part of the course, we will concentrate on comprehensive approaches to marine and coastal resource management. Ecosystem management approaches that we will examine in some detail include watershed management and marine protected areas management.