Overfishing, toxic pollution, invasive species, nutrient over-enrichment, habitat degradation and destruction, biodiversity loss, dependence of a growing global population on its goods and services, and coastal development, all threaten the sustainability of coastal ocean ecosystems (Vanderweerd in Sherman and McGovern, 2011).

Their populations are declining as they face threats including overfishing, plastic pollution, entanglement, climate change, and loss of habitat protection.