World Oceans Day
News
Sunday 8th June marks World Oceans Day. A day to celebrate life beneath the waves and also to highlight the threat that abandoned fishing gear poses to sea life.
Covering two thirds of the planet, our ocean’s vast wilderness provides a home to an incredible number of animals. But sadly, more and more marine animals are suffering as our oceans continue to be exploited.
Ghost fishing gear – nets, lines and traps that are abandoned, lost or discarded in our oceans - represents one of the biggest threats to sea life. Millions of animals including whales, seals, turtles and birds become entangled and suffer from debilitating wounds, infections and starvation. These animals can suffer for months, or even years, before they die.
Our Sea Change campaign aims to save 1 million marine animals by 2018. To do this we will move people to reduce and remove the ghost fishing gear that is choking our seas, and rescue the animals already entangled.
This is the start of an exciting new campaign and now is the time to get involved.
Together, we can make a Sea Change.
Top image: Alana Yurkanin / Marine Photobank
Even if the animal appears happy, there’s severe cruelty going on behind the scenes