Can the world's marine environments remain healthy and functioning under the influence of man, from pollution to over fishing and climate change? In Saving Species this week, Brett Westwood looks in depth at some of the issues and research being carried out into the species which depend upon this often abused natural resource.
Our reporter Helen Scales travels to the Gambia, where issues of oyster overfishing are having a devastating effect not only on the native oysters but also the coastal mangrove swamps.
In Florida, Howard Stableford joins marine researchers for an evening on a sandy beach. And closer to home, we look at the 2012 breeding season of some of our breeding seabirds.
Producer : Sheena Duncan
Presenter : Brett Westwood
Editor : Julian Hector