The World's Most Dangerous Oceans: Deadly Seas Identified by WWF

First Posted: Jun 10, 2013 07:52 AM EDT
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It turns out that some of our oceans are pretty dangerous. Massive storms tear across the seas, forming waves that can swamp ships and leave them sinking. Unfortunately, these conditions are only going to worsen as the climate warms. Now thanks to the World Wildlife Fund, we know exactly which oceans on our planet are the most deadly.

Over the years, the number of accidents at sea has fallen. That's not surprising considering that new technological innovations and regulations have helped increase the safety for crewmembers on ships. In fact, researchers estimated that the number of accidents has dropped by 18 percent since 1980, according to the International Business Times. Yet while these accidents have fallen, the incidents that do occur happen in areas of environmental significance, such as the South China Sea and East Indies, eastern Mediterranean, North Sea, Black Sea and the British Isles.

Shipping traffic has increased dramatically over the past 15 years. A little over a decade ago, there were only about 85,000 ships sailing the seas. Yet today, there are more than 105,000 ships. That's a huge jump, and explains why environmental agencies are so concerned. After all, many of these ships contain cargo that can be harmful to the world's oceans if spilled into the water during a shipping accident.

So how many accidents occur in these areas? It turns out that these seas have had the most accidents between 1999 and 2011. In fact, there were 293 accidents in the South China Seas and East Indies alone, home of the Coral Triangle and a whopping 76 percent of the world's coral species, according to Discovery News. 

This news in particular is especially worrisome. Oil spills in particular can cause extensive environmental damage. The legendary Exxon Valdez oil spill, for example, caused years-worth of degradation to an area that was once viewed as "pristine." Even today, pockets of oil can be found buried beneath the sand on rocky beaches in Alaska. Another oil spill, though, may have been more costly. The Prestige oil spill, which occurred off of the Spanish coast in 2002, released 70,000 tons of oil.

"The Prestige oil spill caused no only environmental impacts but economic losses estimated at €8 billion [$10.4 billion]," said Simon Walmsley, marine manager at WWF, in an interview with the International Business Times. "Even small-scale accidents in very sensitive locations, like the Great Barrier Reef, can have profound environmental consequences."

The fact that these shipping accidents are occurring in environmentally sensitive areas means that environmental organizations are especially concerned. As storms increase in frequency with the warming climate and as shipping traffic rises, implementing the proper safety regulations will be crucial when it comes to protecting coral reefs and other areas where marine life thrives.

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