Beyond Data Regulation: Finding a Solution to the Persistent Problem of Marine Debris and Sea Surface Temperature Measurement Along the Coastline of Lagos, Nigeria

Abstract

In this paper we discuss environmental changes along the coastal line of Nigeria, especially in the region around Lagos, based on provisional multi-disciplinary analyses of meteorological and maritime observations. This study has revealed that recent environmental change in the Nigerian coastal region has been much more apparent than that of a few years back (1989-2007). Various kinds of ocean debris, transported mainly by coastal wind, are severely affecting the marine and coastal environment. Because the current ocean monitoring system has been found to be troubled by ocean debris, establishing a new system to obtain reliable observational data to monitor and preserve the environment of the coastal region is urgent.