Marine waters cover more than 70% of the Earth's surface and open ocean waters comprise by far the most extensive major ecosystem on the planet, but its biodiversity remains poorly-known. WCMC, in collaboration with UNEP's Oceans and Coastal Areas Programme Activity Centre, produced a region-by-region account of select issues in marine biological diversity. Each account includes descriptive text on the oceanography, elements of biodiversity (including estimates of species richness and endemism), and a discussion of marine fisheries and their current status.

• The Diversity of the Seas: A Regional Approach(pdf, 612Kb)