Oceans need to be managed sustainably in order to conserve our fragile marine ecosystems.

Although oceans are essential to us in many ways, the state of marine biodiversity remains little known. What we do know, however, is that human activities create a number of pressures such as (over-)exploitation, carbon emissions, and pollution, including marine litter. The European Union has been active in promoting the sustainable use of the seas. In early 2018, the European Commission presented a strategy to address the issue of plastics pollution, including microplastics in our seas.