Environmental concerns

These are the key environmental concerns in Samoa of relevance to the ocean:

• The impacts of pollution and increased sea surface temperatures and ocean acidification on marine habitats such as coral reefs
   
• Increased incidence and severity of storms, droughts and other extreme weather events
   
• Impacts on the migration of marine species such as cetaceans and pelagic fish from changing weather and ocean currents
   
• Coastal inundation/ damage due to coastal development and from loss of reef cover resulting in more wave action on newly exposed beaches and damage to coastal wetlands including mangrove area
   
• Potential reduction in the productivity of marine and coastal fisheries from poor management practices and changes in ocean chemistry, temperature and pollution
   
• Potential for increased distribution and abundance of invasive species and introduction of new invasive species through trade and tourism
   
• Potential soil erosion from vegetative change and more intense rainfall with impacts on water flow quantity and quality
   
• Increasing ocean debris from poor land-based waste management practices