ABSTRACT
Although the ocean covers 71% of the earth’s surface, it is an increasingly crowded place. Ocean industries of all kinds are expanding rapidly and impacts on the marine environment are expanding at an ever-increasing rate and global scale affecting endangered species, ecosystem health, critical habitats and coastal communities that depend on marine areas for food and livelihood. Conflicts in the use of ocean space and resources are on the rise among industries, and with other ocean stakeholders. Ocean industries are being held accountable for their impacts by government, intergovernmental and non-governmental stakeholders who are pursuing increased marine environmental regulation. Private sector access to ocean resources, services and space is increasingly at risk due to the loss of the ‘license’ to operate and the emerging ocean governance regimes. Unfortunately, there has been little or no interaction among like-minded responsible companies across the sectors to develop leadership and collaboration on ocean sustainability and to engage in systematic, coordinated involvement with other ocean stakeholders.
