U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy - Joint Ocean Commission Initiative

tissues of fish and shellfish. When these toxins are ingested or inhaled by humans, theypresent health risks ranging from annoying to deadly.On the other hand, thousands of new biochemicals have been discovered in marineorganisms, such as sponges, soft corals, mollusks, bacteria, and algae. Furthermore, scientistsbelieve only a fraction of the organisms that live in the ocean have been documented,underscoring the vast potential of the oceans as a source of new chemicals. 3 These naturalproducts can be developed not only as pharmaceuticals, but also as nutritional supplements,medical diagnostics, cosmetics, agricultural chemicals (pesticides and herbicides),enzymes and chemical probes for disease research, and for many other applications. Basedon existing pharmaceutical products, each of these classes of marine-derived bioproductshas a potential multibillion-dollar annual market value.The use of marine organisms as models for human systems has also advanced biomedicalresearch. The diversity of life found in the oceans offers vast opportunities for thediscovery of organisms that can be used to investigate biological processes analogous tothose found in humans. Of particular interest are primitive vertebrates. Studies on thebiology of these animals may offer insights into the evolution and physiology of humansand other organisms. Although some of the most familiar marine animal models havebeen used by researchers for decades, increased understanding of human biology can begained by continuing to examine new marine organisms.A 1999 National Research Council (NRC) report recommended a renewed effort tounderstand the health of the ocean, its effects on humans, and possible future healththreats. 4 In a 2002 report, the NRC also emphasized the beneficial value of marine biodiversityto human health, noting that underexplored environments and organisms—suchas deep-sea environments and marine microorganisms—provide exciting opportunitiesfor discovery of novel chemicals. 5Currently, two national programs are designed to enhance our understanding of theocean’s role in human health. The first is a joint program between the National Instituteof Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) and the National Science Foundation (NSF)called the Centers for Oceans and Human Health. The Centers promote interdisciplinarycollaborations among biomedical and ocean scientists, with the goal of improving knowledgeabout the impacts of the oceans on human health. The second is the National Oceanicand Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA’s) Oceans and Human Health Initiative, whichwill coordinate agency activities and focus funding on ocean and health issues such asinfectious diseases, harmful algal blooms, environmental indicators, climate, weather andcoastal hazards, and marine biomedicine.In addition to these broad interdisciplinary programs, several other existing programsfocus on one or more specific subtopics. For example, ECOHAB (Ecology and Oceanographyof Harmful Algal Blooms), a program created by NOAA and NSF, provides a scientificframework designed to increase our understanding of the fundamental processes leadingto harmful algal blooms. Other agencies, including the Centers for Disease Control(CDC), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and Food and Drug Administration(FDA), administer research and management programs that address different aspects ofthe links between the oceans and human health.Maximizing the Beneficial Uses of Marine-derived BioproductsThe marine environment constitutes the greatest source of biological diversity on the planet.Representatives of every phylum are found in the world’s oceans, and more than 200,000known species of invertebrates and algae have been documented. With so many organismscompeting for survival in the challenging ocean environment, it is not surprising that manyorganisms produce chemicals that provide some ecological advantage. Animals and plantssynthesize natural biochemicals to repel predators, compete for space to grow, and locateC HAPTER 23: CONNECTING THE O CEANS AND H UMAN H EALTH339