World Ocean Day

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It’s World Ocean Day.

8th June 1992, the concept of a “World Ocean Day” was proposed at the Earth Summit in Rio.
Today, 30 years later, the engagement among ocean lovers, conservationists, campaigners and the community is widespread.

When looking at our planet from space, it is evident that we live on a blue planet. About 70% of the earth’s surface is covered by saltwater oceans. Our planet has one global ocean but is partially separated by landmasses and has created 5 distinct ocean regions we call our big seas.

The oceans have enormous power and drive global systems that make the Earth habitable for us humans. For instance, our oceans have a considerable impact on the climate and weather.  Firstly, it creates rainwater and regulates temperatures, and has the ability to absorb carbon dioxide. And did you know? Even the oxygen in the air we breathe is ultimately provided and regulated by our ocean.

The world’s ocean supports the global population’s economic, social and environmental needs.
Did you know that over 3 billion people around the world depend on marine and coastal biodiversity for their livelihood? 

The impacts of overfishing, coastal development, man-made pollution, and climate change are being felt by coastal communities around the world. And we need to act on an individual, communal and government level for positive change.

 

Therefore, the focus of this year’s World Ocean Day is to safeguarding our ocean, its biodiversity and building climate change resilience.

And hey, disclaimer! Above all, this is not to make you feel bad about the current state of our ocean. I want you to read this on a positive note so that you and I can have an impact.

Moreover, remember that the ocean and its ecosystem and inhabitants are resilient.
In the past years, we have witnessed coral reefs recover after bleaching events. We have seen humpback whale populations bounce back in numbers after almost being extinct. And we have witnessed polluted canals and rivers recover to clear water.

So how can we get involved and work together for a positive change for our ocean?

Firstly, here are five simple actions you can take in your daily life:

  • Say no to disposable products! Invest in a reusable water bottle and a coffee cup for your takeouts.
  • Pick up a piece of trash when you’re outside.  A simple gesture that makes a difference. And hey, never be a tosser!
  • Recycle your waste. That little extra effort you make at home will have a big impact down the track.
  • Love your local second-hand shop. Shop second hand, and why not donate what you don’t use anymore? Clothes, furniture and appliances. There will always be someone else that will need and love your used goods.
  • Plan your meals. I have learned that by planning my meals. I eat healthier, I waste less food, and I make more conscious choices about food products and quality.  Win, win, win!

Secondly, connect with the ocean. Why not learn how to SCUBA, or go for a snorkel? I strongly believe, that once you dive down beneath the surface you realise what an amazing world the ocean offers.

We encourage you to celebrate world ocean day, and maybe share one time when you felt connected with the big blue.

Read more about World Ocean Day here: https://worldoceanday.org/

The special relationship between the clownfish and anemones

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Ever since “Finding Nemo”, we’ve collectively fallen in love with the cute little anemonefish, also known as clownfish. Nemo and his dad are Ocellaris clownfish, bright orange with white stripes, and that’s probably the one you think about when you think of a clownfish. But there are over 30 different species of anemonefish, and they come in different shapes and colours.

Did you know that all anemonefishes begin their lives as males?  Once they grow bigger, the oldest and largest adult will switch sex and become the dominant egg-laying female of a group.

What all clownfish have in common is their choice of home. The anemone.

The anemones are cnidarians, they come in all different shapes and colours. And some of them make a perfect home for the anemonefish.

The anemones have tentacles coated in nematocysts, which makes them sting when in contact with other animals. However, when an anemonefish is ‘moving in’, they acclimatise and develop a covering layer of mucus on their bodies. The mucus acts as a shield against the stinging cells.

This phenomenon has created a beneficial relationship between the clownfish and the anemone.

Have you ever dived on a reef and had a closer look at these buddies? If so, you might have noticed that the anemonefish is quite protective. They don’t appear as scared at all and don’t hesitate to defend their home. The anemone and the fish benefit from each other as they exchange protection against predators.

The anemone also benefits from its residents by eating their food scraps and on top of that, they are getting their tentacles cleaned from parasites.

The relationship these two animals have evolved, is an amazing demonstration of how nature creates connections for survival amongst different creatures. 

Is this something we can learn from?

We make new discoveries every day about how we benefit and rely on the functioning of different ecosystems, such as the rainforests, the savannahs and of course, our coral reefs (read more about ecosystem services from coral reefs here: https://reefconnect.com.au/coral-reefs-and-ecosystem-services/).
We must do everything we can to maintain these ecosystems healthy and functioning for our own health and survival.