The paper describes a range of complex relationships among coastal ecosystems, demographic patterns and the effects of technology on coastal resource use. All three deal with the production of living aquatic resources, whether from natural systems or from culture, and therefore offer some interesting comparative insights since the coastal industry sector, i.e., seafood production, is "controlled." None of the cases demonstrate a direct linkage between population pressure and negative environmental effects, although all show lesser or greater degrees of sustainability in resource use.