Marine Life & Conservation
Environment Minister joins volunteers for the Great British Beach Clean at Aldeburgh
The UK’s leading marine charity, the Marine Conservation Society (MCS), was joined by the Environment Minister Thérèse Coffey at Aldeburgh beach on Saturday when she took part in the charity’s Great British Beach Clean.
MCS says it was delighted to welcome the Suffolk Coastal MP to Aldeburgh – the Minister is no stranger to beach cleans as she does one somewhere in her constituency every year.
Speaking at the clean-up, Environment Minister Thérèse Coffey said:
“We all have a role to play in tackling litter that blights our beaches and threatens our oceans, and it’s fantastic to see organisations like the Marine Conservation Society bringing communities together for such a great cause. We’re making great strides – our 5p carrier bag charge has taken nine billion plastic bags out of circulation and our microbeads ban will help to prevent wildlife from ingesting harmful plastic. I’m committed to doing all I can to protect our precious oceans from plastic pollution.”
Dr Chris Tuckett, MCS Director of Programmes joined the Minister at the beach:
“We’re delighted to welcome the Minister along to this survey and clean-up, as we need to keep the issue of marine litter at the forefront of Defra’s thinking. Dr Coffey has been a Defra minister during development of the recent legislation to ban microbeads and with Scotland giving the go ahead to a Deposit Return Scheme just a few weeks ago, Westminster must now seriously consider introducing the same. Dr Coffey is no stranger to the problems our beaches are facing and it’s great that she’s getting stuck in and seeing the problems first hand.”
Last year at Southwold beach, Dr Coffey was among a group of volunteers who found lots of wet wipes, and a rabbit warren which was blocked with a build-up of rubbish which she helped dig out.
This year, the Great British Beach Clean in England is sponsored by Waitrose who are supporting MCS’ year round beach clean programme. MCS beach litter projects are also supported by players of People’s Postcode Lottery.
For more information please visit www.mcsuk.org.
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.
-
News3 months agoHone your underwater photography skills with Alphamarine Photography at Red Sea Diving Safari in March
-
News3 months agoCapturing Critters in Lembeh Underwater Photography Workshop 2024: Event Roundup
-
Marine Life & Conservation Blogs3 months agoCreature Feature: Swell Sharks
-
Blogs2 months agoMurex Resorts: Passport to Paradise!
-
Blogs2 months agoDiver Discovering Whale Skeletons Beneath Ice Judged World’s Best Underwater Photograph
-
Gear Reviews2 weeks agoGEAR REVIEW – Revolutionising Diving Comfort: The Sharkskin T2 Chillproof Suit
-
Marine Life & Conservation2 months agoSave the Manatee Club launches brand new webcams at Silver Springs State Park, Florida
-
Gear Reviews3 months agoGear Review: Oceanic+ Dive Housing for iPhone