News
Celebrate World Oceans Day with the Marine Conservation Society
For the Marine Conservation Society (MCS), the UK’s leading marine charity, every day is World Oceans Day, which means there’s always plenty to get involved with to safeguard and celebrate our ocean. Here’s a few ways to celebrate World Oceans Day today, 8th June, and beyond!
Save our Seagrass
Seagrass meadows growing in the shallow shores of the UK’s coast are extremely effective at absorbing CO2 dissolved in seawater, taking it up in its tissues and locking it into sediment in the seabed. Seagrass can absorb as much as 10% of the carbon buried in ocean sediment every year, making it a brilliant weapon in the fight to halt the warming of the planet. However, at least 35% of seagrasses worldwide have been lost or damaged over the last 40 years. MCS is on a mission to ‘Save Our Seagrass’ and protect these vital habitats for the future health of our ocean, and the planet.
Bring the #OCEANINDOORS
MCS research found that even when we’re far from the coast and ocean, we still feel deeply connected to it. 69% of people surveyed who visited the coast in the last year felt the benefit even when far from it and a further 77% of people who visited the sea in the last year felt happier. The enduring mental and physical health benefits which the ocean provides spurred MCS on to create #oceanindoors, bringing the benefits of the coast into the public’s homes during lockdown. With webinars, moments for mindfulness and recipes to try, there’s plenty of ways to stay connected to the ocean, even from afar.
Plastic Challenge Yourself
For the last six years, every July MCS tasks the public to try and go plastic-free for the whole month. With so much plastic still blighting the coastline and polluting the ocean, small changes individuals can make will have a huge impact on the health of the sea. This year, the charity is asking people to set their own Plastic Challenge and share their journey along the way. Sign up, #PlasticChallenge yourself and stop the tide of plastic entering our ocean. For tips, inspiration and support from the plastic-free community, visit the Plastic Challenge site.
Stop Ocean Threads
For every load of laundry washed, as many as 700,000 microfibres can flow into our water systems. An estimated four trillion individual microfibres are lost from our clothes every year in the UK, with many of them ending up in the ocean and on our beaches. MCS wants to ‘Stop Ocean Threads’ by requiring washing machines to include, by law, filters which will reduce the amount of microfibres flowing into the ocean.
To learn about more of the Marine Conservation Society’s ongoing work to celebrate and safeguard the ocean, please visit the charity’s website, become a member or follow along on social.
Marine Life & Conservation Blogs
Book Review: Shells of the World
Shells of the World: A Natural History by M.G. Harasewych
Shells of the world is a guide to the world of marine, shelled molluscs. And what a varied and interesting world it is. Some of my favourite things to find on a dive are detailed in this book, including disco clams (or Electric File Clams as they are correctly names), the cephalopods, giant clams and sea hares. There are also many on my wish list, top of which is the Nautilus.
Each chapter provides a detailed description of the species, along with beautiful images. You can dive deeper and discover where they live, both with global distribution and the habitat they prefer. Learn about their diet, reproduction and diversity.
Having dipped in and out of this lovely book over the past few weeks, it has inspired me to learn more about this group of animals that we see on most divers, wherever we are in the world. Some of the shells are incredibly intricate and beautiful. I have always agreed with never collecting, or touching, marine life. The description of a certain set of cone shells should be a warning to those that are happy to pick up marine life! One of the cone shells has a local name called the cigarette snail. Why? Because once the venom is in your system from this animal, you only have time to smoke one cigarette before the affects of the venom are fatal!
What the publisher says:
Mollusks are invertebrate animals with a remarkable natural history and a rich fossil record, and their shells are prized for their breathtaking variety and exquisite beauty. Shells of the World provides a wide-ranging look at the incredible diversity of marine mollusks. An informative introduction outlines the lineages covered, followed by a directory section, split into classes, that profiles a broad selection of different taxa to give a sense of their sheer numbers and variety.
- Features hundreds of beautiful color photos, depicting both the live animals and their shells
- Discusses mollusk evolution, anatomy, life cycles, behavior, and ecology
- Describes unique characteristics, distribution, habitat, and size
- Provides valuable insights into the conservation of the world’s marine mollusks
- Ideal for malacologists and shell collectors everywhere
About the Author:
M. G. Harasewych is research zoologist emeritus and former curator in the Department of Invertebrate Zoology at the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of Natural History. A fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, he is the author (with Fabio Moretzsohn) of The Book of Shells: A Life-Size Guide to Identifying and Classifying Six Hundred Seashells.
Book Details
Publisher: Princeton University Press
Hardcover
Price: £25
ISBN: 9780691248271
Published: 9th April, 2024
Gear News
Go anywhere with Stahlsac
Stahlsac dive bags and travel luggage are built for our community of divers, surfers, kayakers and outdoor explorers who need bags that are constructed with durability, toughness, and the highest quality the industry has ever seen. We were founded by one man determined to build better watersports and dive bags, and today, that mission is carried on by many. Adventure doesn’t just present itself; it requires discovery. When we design dive bags, we make sure they are tough enough for you to explore in all conditions—warm and cold, wet and dry—to the nearest and farthest reaches of the earth. And for those times you want to push the boundaries of adventure, Stahlsac dive bags make sure you can truly GO ANYWHERE.
Abyss Duffels
Made to be your partner-in-crime on every adventure, Stahlsac’s Abyss Duffels protects your gear from Mother Nature’s worst. Tough and 100% waterproof with double-TPU nylon material that shrugs off daily wear-and-tear, and RF-welded seams further boost the bag’s potential for lifelong exploring. Get Wet. Get Lost. Go Anywhere with Abyss.
- A weatherproof duffel for trips, travel, and adventure
- Ultra-durable double-TPU nylon protects your gear
- Material repels water and keeps your equipment dry
- RF-welded seams are flush, tough, and waterproof
- Removable straps transform duffel into backpack
- Zippered internal stow compartments carry essentials
- External zippered flap is easy to open and close
- Welded external handles make transporting a breeze
Panama Mesh Backpack
The most copied design in scuba diving, the Stahlsac Panama Mesh Backpack is the “original” design and features two high-density foam padded shoulder straps, extra durable polyester mesh, duffel bag handles and our unique zippered dry pocket inside that combines with a wet pocket outside. The bottom’s built from reinforced 18-gauge PVC nylon to combat the wear and tear of your active coastal lifestyle, and, as a bonus in every bag, we supply a 12″ x 12″ mesh drawstring satchel for extra stowing utility. Pack up your beach kit and go.
- Density foam padded shoulder straps
- Outside wet/dry pockets
- 2 Carry handles
- Tough, snag-resistant polyester mesh
- Reinforced PVC bottom
For more information about Stahlsac bags, visit www.stahlsac.com/dive-bags.
Sea & Sea is the home of Stahlsac and other leading diving brands in the UK.
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