Want to help protect the oceans and coastlines that we all know and love? Make a difference this World Ocean Day with Edmiston and the Conversation Collective.
We’re on a shared mission with the Conservation Collective to help create a cleaner, kinder and greener future for marine life and to protect it for generations to come.
The Conservation Collective (add hyperlink) is a global network of local foundations funding effective grass-roots conservation initiatives in order to protect the environment, restore nature and safeguard against climate change. Edmiston has partnered with the Conservation Collective to support marine projects close to our heart.
The 8th of June marks this year’s World Oceans Day — serving as an important reminder to raise awareness around marine conservation and preservation with this year’s action theme being ‘Catalysing Action for Our Ocean & Climate.’
“We are proud to announce the third year of our partnership with Edmiston. Thanks to their funding, we can continue to support community-led projects regenerating threatened and depleted marine ecosystems across the Mediterranean and the Caribbean.”
For more information about the meaningful marine impact funded by Edmiston so far or to make a donation, please visit the Conservation Collective website today.
The ocean is our planet’s largest ecosystem, which contains between 50-80% of all life on Earth. It provides more than half of the world’s oxygen and is home to millions of species that play critical roles in ecosystems all over the world. Here are some easy steps we can all take to protect the ocean habitats we all depend on.
Seagrass meadows host diverse plant, fish and mammalian species. They purify sea water and capture carbon up to 35 times faster than tropical rainforests. Found in shallow waters and up to 20 metres deep, seagrass covers the seafloor and is severely threatened by the dropping of boat anchors.
Ways to avoid harming seagrass at sea:
Six out of the 13 great whale species are classified endangered or vulnerable, even after decades of protection. An estimated 300,000 whales and dolphins are killed each year due to fishery bycatch, shipping and habitat loss.
Boat collisions and boat engine noise disturbance can also threaten their health as well as their safety. If you’re lucky enough to spot one, remember to:
Marine turtles are threatened by poaching, fishing practices, plastic pollution and global warming. As an industry that relies on the ocean, it is our responsibility to ensure we do not add this this problem.
Remember to:
Divers who are lucky enough to enjoy an encounter are also advised not to approach, touch or feed sea turtles and to avoid swimming above them as they need to rise to the surface to breathe.
There’s an underwater battle between various fish species that many of us are unaware of. In the Mediterranean, around 1,000 non-native, invasive species are competing against native ones for resources, often driving them to extinction.
The best way you can help is to check sustainable fish guides in your area for guilt-free delicious options. For example, eating lionfish or blue crab instead of over-exploited fish like bluefin tuna, swordfish and dusky grouper. The consumption of invasive species helps control the damage they inflict on native species and ecosystems while allowing native, over-exploited fish stocks to thrive.
An organic approach to soil helps protect the health of our oceans. This works by It minimising the farming ‘runoff’ that trickles into rivers and seas from synthetic herbicides, fertilizers and pesticides. Runoff depletes nitrogen, hindering the nutrients essential for plant growth, photosynthesis and a healthy marine environment.
We can protect biodiversity on land and sea by supporting chemical-free farmers by opting for organic products from local suppliers, helping local businesses and the environment at the same time.
At least one million tonnes of plastic enters the ocean every year. With so many alternatives out there designed to reduce single-use plastic usage, this is an easy step to make a big difference. Here’s some great places to start.
To get involved in the Conservation Collective’s initiatives or to provide funding to a cause close to your heart, get in touch with the Edmiston team today.