What Is Being Done? Save The Seas And We'll Save The Planet

Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, 2013, Caroline Hattam, Plymouth Marine Laboratory,   "The Youth Guide to Biodiversity" 1st Edition (Chapter 8) Youth and United Nations Global Alliance. Reproduced with permission.

Chapter 8. Verbatim.

Internationally a number of pieces of legislation aim to protect marine biodiversity, for example: 

:: The Ballast Water Management Convention which, when it comes into action, will aim to reduce the introduction of invasive alien species by ships.

:: The Convention on Biological Diversity aims to protect all biodiversity, including that found in the oceans. 

:: International fisheries legislation and codes of conduct (e.g. FAO ’s Code of Conduct for Responsible Fishing and the European Union’s Common FisheriesPolicy) aim to encourage sustainable fishery management.

Individual countries are also acting: 

:: Increasing numbers of marine protected areas are being created by many countries around the world, but currently only 0.7 percent of the marine environment is protected globally. 

Aquaculture or fish farming is being encouraged as an alternative to wild capture fisheries and new approaches to aquaculture may improve its environmental footprint (see box: “Multi-Culture Aquaculture”).

Local people are also making a difference: 

:: They are getting involved in beach cleaning, coastal surveys and pollution campaigns. 

:: They are reducing their use of plastic bags that often end up being swept out to sea. 

:: They are encouraging sustainable fishing by only buying fish that carries the Marine Stewardship Council logo. 

Perhaps you could do the same. 

:: Do a project at school about some of the things you have learned here, or even get your school to organise a beach clean-up.

:: Make biodiversity friendly choices when buying products or eating food derived from oceans, for example by selecting certified productions, such as those with Certified Sustainable Seafood labels (www.msc.org).

:: Most importantly, you could spread the message about how important marine biodiversity is and how we need to protect it.

Learn more

If you would like to find out more about marine biodiversity, try these links:

:: The European Environment Agency’s 10 Messages for 2010: Marine Ecosystems:
www.eea.europa.eu/publications/10-messages-for-2010/message-4-marine ecosystems.pdf

:: Global marine biodiversity trends: www.eoearth.org/article/Global_marine_biodiversity_trends#

:: The IUCN’s marine programme: www.iucn.org/about/work/programmes/marine

:: Marine biodiversity: www.eoearth.org/article/Marine_biodiversity#

:: UNEP -WCMC’s report Deep-sea biodiversity and ecosystems: A scoping report on their socio‑economy, management and governance:
www.unep-wcmc.org/resources/publications/UNEP_WCMC_bio_series/28.aspx

:: World database on marine protected areas: www.wdpa marine.org/#/countries/about

:: World register of marine species (WoRMS): www.marinespecies.org/about.php