Marine Pollution and Fishery Decline on the North American West Coast - May 2003

Marine Pollution and Fishery Decline on the North American West Coast - May 2003

In the early 2000s, chemical substances contained in wastewater from urban and agricultural areas and industrial wastewater entered the ocean over a long period of time on the West Coast of North America, causing serious environmental problems. PCBs, heavy metals, and pesticide residues, in particular, accumulated in seawater and bottom sediments, adversely affecting fish and seabirds through the food chain. Fishery resources decreased year by year, and the decline in catch not only hit the livelihoods of fishermen, but also cast a shadow over the economies of coastal areas. At the time, global awareness of ecosystem conservation was growing and international environmental treaties and regulations were being discussed, but the region's unique industrial structure and lagging wastewater regulations remained an issue on the U.S. West Coast. In addition, the loss of seabird breeding grounds and declining populations raised alarm by wildlife conservation groups, and residents' mo
vements and environmental NGOs stepped up monitoring activities. These factors are based on the historical background of the postwar period of economic growth and subsequent intensification of industry and agriculture, which prioritized productivity gains over emission controls. This situation has simultaneously led to the decline of fisheries and the degradation of marine ecosystems, and has triggered a shift in environmental policy on the West Coast of North America.