Time to Celebrate our Seas

World Oceans Day is the annual celebration of the seas around us, and the Marine Conservation Society (MCS) has organised events all over the UK on and around Friday June 8th to celebrate the life in our oceans. Since first being announced at the 1992 Rio de Janeiro “Earth Summit”, World Oceans Day has helped raise awareness of our wonderful seas, shores and wildlife.

Laura to Row the Waves

Laura Griffiths will be rowing 35 miles along the South Devon coast from Start Point to her home port of Sidmouth for the Marine Conservation Society (MCS) on June 8^th. Laura was inspired to take up the MCS Coastal Challenge by the terrible scenes from the Napoli ship, which left huge quantities of rubbish on Devon’s beautiful beaches.

Fiona climbs the UK’s tallest mountain

Fiona Tibbit and a team of colleagues from the Environment Agency are set to climb Ben Nevis this World Oceans Day June 8^th. They will be holding up MCS Marine Reserves Now posters at the top – to be the highest altitude photo in the MCS online gallery so far!

These two challenges are part of the MCS Coastal Challenge, which hopes to have enough people taking part to have covered the entire distance around the beautiful UK coastline; 18,470km (11,477 miles) and to have raised vital funds for MCS’s work by this World Oceans Day 2007. Early estimations put the distance covered this year at 16,000 km or 9,942 miles – an impressive first attempt and so close that any late entries might tip the balance. In case they don’t quite get there, MCS have decided to try again this year! So seize the day this World Oceans Day and get active to help save our seas – whatever you would like to do email your idea to fundraising@mcsuk.org or phone 01989 561587 for a free pack of information.

Big Blue Days

Schools and offices around the country are holding a non-uniform or dress-down day with a difference. Seen from space, our planet is blue – staff and pupils are creating their own blue planet at school and work by dressing in blue for the day, with a small individual donation to marine conservation.

Dive-in Weekend

Scuba divers are celebrating World Oceans Day by holding a Seasearch “Dive-in” this weekend – Seasearch is the underwater survey of the UK’s seabed by volunteers, coordinated by the Marine Conservation Society.

UK Government Marine Bill

2007 is a critical year for marine conservation in the UK as the Government will this year be debating our first Marine Bill, in what could be a once in a lifetime opportunity to protect our nationally important marine sites and species, and better manage the many industries that impact on and compete for use of the marine environment. The Government’s Marine Bill White Paper consultation period ends on June 8^th 2007. See www.mcsuk.org for more information.