A One Health Approach to Marine Health

Background: Climate change, plastics, and overfishing are major threats to marine health. The scientific and public health communities will be front and center in dealing with these threats. A One Health approach, where the integration of various disciplines together promote the protection and preservation of people, animals, and the environment, represents a sound model to address marine health problems. Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to show how a One Health approach can be applied to marine health in order to protect and preserve marine ecosystems. A literature review was conducted on Google Scholar using the keywords “climate change”, “overfishing” and “plastics,” with inclusion criteria of publication date as 2005-present. Conclusions: A One Health model was formatted based on this review to target the marine threats of climate change, plastic pollution, and overfishing. This One Health model was found to benefit the health of marine individuals, populations, and ecosystems, as well as human health. Establishing One Health teams is an appropriate way to handle the addressed marine threats that require cross-disciplinary skills. Recommendations: The complex threats marine ecosystems face demand international cooperation and cross-disciplinary knowledge. Based on the findings of this review, a One Health approach is strongly recommended to best promote the health of marine life