Marine Life & Conservation
Divers help to clean up Dubai Beach on Second World Underwater Clean-Up Day
Items which should be in landfills — discarded car tyres, a toilet seat, flip flops, and lots and lots of plastic bottles — were recovered from the shores of Dubai and underwater near the Skydive Dubai Dropzone near Palm Jumeirah on Saturday for the second World Underwater Clean-up Day.
Some 31 licensed underwater divers and 40 non-divers discovered early morning Saturday that the beach proved a convenient dumping ground for trash by some residents.
The clean-up team, composed of officials from Skydive Dubai, Dubai Municipality, Fazza Marine, and Pavilion Dive Centre, started at 6am to clean up the beach and underwater area. At least 50 sacks of litter were collected and brought for recycling after the event.
The clean-up was held simultaneously in more than 80 countries across the globe to clean all types of water debris from seas, lakes, and rivers. The initiative also aims to enter the record books for the Most Participants in an Underwater Clean-up in Multiple Venues for the Guinness World Records.
Much of the trash collected on Saturday had most probably come from the beach and boat users near the area, Gayton said.
Elena Lokatskaya, Assistant Manager of Pavilion Dive Centre, said the most unusual trash they found was “lots of rubber flip flops” or slippers. Although nine months pregnant, Lokatskaya participated in the on-shore clean-up drive to stress the fact that the future of our oceans depends on what we do today.
“We can make a difference today for a better tomorrow. No matter where we’re from, who we are, we all need to work together in protecting the ecosystem,” Lokatskaya said.
The clean-up teams covered two areas—the Logo Island with a depth of seven to nine metres and an area of 57.4 metres, and Skydive Dubai Jetty with a depth of two to five metres.
Source: www.gulfnews.com
Photo: Abegail Bokingo
Marine Life & Conservation
Double Bubble for Basking Sharks
The Shark Trust is excited to announce that, for two more days only, all donations, large or small, will be doubled in the Big Give Green Match Fund!
Donate to Basking in Nature: Sighting Giants
The Shark Trust is hoping to raise £10k which will be doubled to £20k. This will go towards Basking in Nature: Sighting Giants. And they need YOUR help to reach they’re goal.
The Shark Trust’s citizen science project is to monitor and assess basking sharks through sightings; encouraging data collection, community engagement, and promoting nature accessibility. This initiative aims to enhance health and wellbeing by fostering a deeper connection with British Sharks.
Campaign Aims
- Increase citizen science reporting of Basking Sharks and other shark sightings to help inform shark and ray conservation.
- Provide educational talks about the diverse range of sharks and rays in British waters and accessible identification guides!
- Create engaging and fun information panels on how to ID the amazing sharks and rays we have on our doorstep! These can be used on coastal paths around the Southwest. With activities and information on how you can make a difference for sharks and rays!
- Promote mental wellbeing through increasing time in nature and discovering the wonders beneath the waves!
Donate, and double your impact. Click Here
Marine Life & Conservation
Leading UK-based shark conservation charity, the Shark Trust, is delighted to announce tour operator Diverse Travel as a Corporate Patron
Corporate Patrons provide a valuable boost to the work of The Shark Trust. The Trust team works globally to safeguard the future of sharks, and their close cousins, the skates and rays, engaging with a global network of scientists, policymakers, conservation professionals, businesses and supporters to further shark conservation.
Specialist tour operator Diverse Travel has operated since 2014 and is committed to offering its guests high quality, sustainable scuba diving holidays worldwide. Working together with the Shark Trust will enable both organisations to widen engagement and encourage divers and snorkellers to actively get involved in shark conservation.
“Sharks are truly at the heart of every diver and at Diverse Travel, we absolutely share that passion. There is nothing like seeing a shark in the wild – it’s a moment that stays with you forever!” says Holly Bredin, Sales & Marketing Manager, Diverse Travel.
“We’re delighted to celebrate our 10th year of business by becoming a Corporate Patron of the Shark Trust. This is an exciting partnership for Diverse and our guests. We will be donating on behalf of every person who books a holiday with us to contribute towards their vital shark conservation initiatives around the world. We will also be working together with the Trust to inspire divers, snorkellers and other travellers to take an active role – at home and abroad – in citizen science projects and other activities.”
Paul Cox, CEO of The Shark Trust, said:
“It’s an exciting partnership and we’re thrilled to be working with Diverse Travel to enable more divers and travellers to get involved with sharks and shark conservation. Sharks face considerable conservation challenges but, through collaboration and collective action, we can secure a brighter future for sharks and their ocean home. This new partnership takes us one more valuable step towards that goal.”
For more information about the Shark Trust visit their website here.
For more about Diverse Travel click here.
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