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The
sea has always been an intrinsic part of life for the people
from the 21 island states and territories of the Pacific.
The Pacific Ocean provides food, transport, and a source of pride and identity
for her five million Pacific Island inhabitants. Melanesian, Micronesian and
Polynesian cultures have all traditionally emphasized wise resource use and environmental
stewardship.
However, industrialization, urban drift and rapid population growth threaten
our many ecosystems that were once largely unspoiled and sustainable. Habitats
are being destroyed at a rate of knots by logging and agriculture.
The marine environment is being polluted from both land- and sea-based sources,
fish and wildlife are being over-harvested, invasive species are pushing out
native biota, and climate induced sea level rise threatens to drown our low-lying
islands and coasts.
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