Marine ecology Untreated effluents from industries and cities in coastal regions have contaminated large areas of the Indian Ocean, with obvious trans-border impacts on marine life and fisheries. In particular, the chemical, paper, and sugar industries are major polluters of the marine environment. Agricultural run-off has also contributed to ocean pollution. An estimated 1800 tons of pesticides enter the Bay of Bengal annually and increased use of pesticides in some areas has resulted in contamination of mollusks and fish species. The depletion of mangroves in estuaries, lagoons, and bays, encouraged in part by shrimp breeding in coastal swamps, threatens such important natural processes as soil binding, nutrient recycling, and the prevention of soil erosion and silt accretion.
Oil spills are yet another major threat to ocean resources.
With the growth of tanker traffic in the Indian Ocean and increased offshore exploration and development, the threat of oil spills will undoubtedly increase. Loss of biodiversity Within the Asia-Pacific region, overall habitat losses have been the most acute in the Indian subcontinent. In Pakistan, hunting is still pursued as a popular sport. Falcons are smuggled to the Middle East and lizards and snakes are killed for their skins. Marine and coastal environments are also vulnerable to tourism, exemplified by the destruction of coral reefs along the Maldives coast.