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In a region sometimes called 'Oceania', the health of the ocean is fundamental to the health of all aspects of the entire Pacific Islands region. Marine pollution is widely recognised as one of the three major threats to the world's oceans, along with habitat destruction and over-exploitation of living marine resources. Spills of oil and other chemicals into the marine environment, both from ships and land-based sources, is a significant source of pollution.

As island states located within the world's largest ocean, the member countries of SPREP are over- whelmingly dependent on shipping. Despite the ben- efits and necessity of shipping, this human use of the ocean cau also cause a range of sometimes severe environmental impacts.