- Oceans are vast reservoirs of biotic resources.
- Nearly 40,000 species of molluscs, and 25,000 species of fishes are found in marine waters.
- Besides mineral resources, different types of vitamins and medicinal elements are also found.
- Generally, marine resources are divided into three categoriesg., biotic resources, abiotic (mineral and energy) resources and commercial resources (navigation, aviation, trade and transport etc.).
- On an average, marine resources are also classified into living resources and non-living resources.
- Alternatively, marine resources can also be divided into mineral resources, energy resources and food resources.
Marine resources can be divided into the following categories:
Marine Biological Resources:
(A) Food Resources:
- Animal resources, (Fishes, crabs, prawns, zoo planktons etc.).
- Plant resources, (phytoplanktons, sea grass etc.).
(B) Non-food Resources:
- Corals.
Alternatively marine biological resources can also be divided into the following 3 categories:
(A) Plankton Communities:
- Phytoplanktons.
- Zoo planktons.
(B) Nekton Communities:
- Pelagic fishes.
- Demersal fishes.
(C) Benthos communities:
- Epibenthic community.
- Benthic organisms.
- Inflora and Infauna.
Marine mineral resources:
(A) On the basis of location:
(i) Minerals of the continental shelf deposits.
(ii) Minerals of the continental slope deposits.
(iii) Minerals of the deep sea bottom deposits.
(B) On the basis of nature:
(i) Metallic minerals.
(ii) Fuel minerals (petroleum, natural gas).
(iii) Construction materials (gravels, sands etc.).
Energy resources:
(A) Conventional energy:
(i) Petroleum.
(ii) Natural gas.
(B) Non-conventional energy:
(i) Tidal energy.
(ii) Wave energy.
(iii) Biomass energy.
Freshwater resources:
Manufactured water (transformation of saline seawater through the processes of desalinization into potable water)
