Marine Life & Conservation
Stop the Ocean’s Silent Killer

Scuba Divers Fight Back Against Marine Debris
Every day, scuba divers around the world battle the ocean’s silent killer – marine debris – from beneath the surface. Their mission during this September’s Debris Month of Action? To inspire year-round action to remove, report and prevent underwater debris while combating the growing marine debris problem.
More than six million tons of marine litter is estimated to enter the ocean each year. Once there, our trash accumulates and includes everything from plastic bags, food wrappers and drink bottles to car batteries, fishing nets and industrial waste.
Project AWARE is engaging the dive community in the fight against marine debris. By participating in Debris Month of Action this September, divers and ocean advocates can:
· Dive Against Debris with a dive buddy or join a community event. Divers and event organizers can grab the toolkit and report debris data online to help drive change.
· Make a gift that helps prevent the deaths of thousands of marine animals who eat or get tangled in litter each year. Now, through September 2013, Dive Against Debris sponsor, Oris Watches, will match your donation up to $10,000.
· Pledge to Dive Against Debris all year round. The first 50 Dive Against Debris Heroes to take the pledge will receive a t-shirt to wear with pride.
“Marine debris kills countless marine species silently and needlessly each year. But divers are using their unique skills to fight back and contribute the underwater debris data needed to show the true extent of the marine debris problem and devise solutions,” says Alex Earl, Executive Director, Project AWARE Foundation.
“Diving has long been a part of the Oris heritage and we are delighted to support Project AWARE’s Dive Against Debris program. We have always been a supporter of marine conservation and ocean debris is a problem that many people are not aware of. Through our matching program, we are hoping to bring more awareness to this issue and help protect the ocean,” says Ulrich Herzog, Executive Chairman, Oris Watches.
Pervasive debris kills wildlife, destroys habitats and threatens our health and economy. Found in even the most remote ocean places, once underwater, debris can remain for generations. Together, we can stop marine debris by taking local action and supporting policy change.
For more information and to download the tools to take action, visit projectaware.org
Marine Life & Conservation
Join us in supporting Dive Project Cornwall Crowdfunder Project

Do you have a moment to help protect our oceans?
We’re on a mission and have partnered with DIVE PROJECT CORNWALL to help protect our oceans for future generations to cherish and enjoy.
DIVE PROJECT CORNWALL is a unique EDUCATION and EXPERIENCE initiative, reaching over 3,000 schools with their Ocean Education Programme, inspiring the next generation to protect our oceans for everyone to cherish and enjoy.
At the heart of the project is a competition for 400 lucky teenagers to win the EXPERIENCE of a lifetime. They will take the learning from the classroom straight to the shores of Porthkerris on a 6-day, life changing trip where they will learn to scuba dive and be taught the importance of marine conservation. They will become ‘Ocean Influencers’ for the future.
DIVE PROJECT CORNWALL needs our help.
Can you join us with a gift to DIVE PROJECT CORNWALL?
Whether it’s £5 or £50, a gift from you to the DIVE PROJECT CORNWALL Crowdfunder Project will help their vision of protecting our oceans through the innovative experience designed for school children.
Will you join us and pledge to support 400 lucky teenagers learn from and EXPERIENCE the ocean like never before and give them an EDUCATION they can use to inspire others, not forgetting the memories that will last a lifetime?
For more information, you can read the DIVE PROJECT CORNWALL story HERE.
Help us create the next generation of Ocean Influencers with a donation to DIVE PROJECT CORNWALL and ensure our oceans (and planet) are protected for the future.
Marine Life & Conservation
Spring jellyfish blooms bring turtles to UK shores

Marine Conservation Society’s wildlife sightings project asks beachgoers to share their discoveries and contribute to research
The Marine Conservation Society’s long-running wildlife sightings project focuses on two key species which arrive on UK shores: jellyfish and, as a result, turtles. Both species are vital in supporting ocean biodiversity and are indicators of climate change while being at risk from its impacts.
The charity is asking beach and seagoers to share when they spot either of these marine animals to support ongoing research.
During spring and summer, jellyfish arrive in the UK’s warming waters to feed on plankton blooms or, in fact, anything small enough to get caught. To that extent, jellyfish feed not only on plankton, but also the array of eggs and larvae of fish, crustaceans, starfish and molluscs which rely on plankton as a stage of reproduction.
With healthy fish stocks and rich biodiversity, jellyfish quickly become part of an effective food chain. Everything from tuna to turtles will feed on jellyfish of various sizes, so the population is well controlled. Supported by a rich and diverse ocean ecosystem, jellyfish link the microscopic world of plankton to larger marine animals and the ocean around them.
Jellyfish are especially appealing for marine turtles. Six of the world’s seven marine turtle species have been spotted in UK seas as a result of jellyfish blooms in spring and summer.
The largest sea turtle, and the most common in UK seas, is the leatherback which has a ‘vulnerable’ conservation status. Reporting sightings of these incredible creatures will support the Marine Conservation Society and others in understanding their movements, potential threats and how to better protect them.
Amy Pilsbury, Citizen Science Project Lead at the Marine Conservation Society, said:“For more than 17 years, beachgoers across the UK have been contributing to scientific research by sharing their wildlife sightings with us. It’s a key part of our work and plays a vital role in better understanding and protecting our ocean.”
In 2014, with partners from the University of Exeter, the Marine Conservation Society published the first paper from the survey data, confirming key information about UK jellyfish and including the first distribution maps of the surveyed species.
Since the 2014 paper, the wildlife sightings project has recorded notable events such as massive and extensive annual blooms of barrel jellyfish and several summers of Portuguese Man o’ War mass strandings.
The charity continues to run its wildlife sightings project to see what happens to the distribution and frequency of mass jellyfish blooms over time. The data will help to explore any links jellyfish blooms have with big-picture factors such as climate change.
Jellyfish can be spotted year-round in UK seas, but larger blooms are more likely to appear in spring, lasting through until autumn. Jellyfish sighting records from 2021 suggest that compass jellyfish are the most common around UK shores, making up 36% of reported sightings.
Jellyfish species | Percentage of sightings reported |
Compass jellyfish | 36% |
Moon jellyfish | 17% |
Lion’s mane jellyfish | 15% |
Barrel jellyfish | 14% |
Blue jellyfish | 9% |
Portuguese Man o’ War | 6% |
Mauve stinger | 2% |
By the wind sailor | 1% |
For more information on how to identify jellyfish and turtles, and to report a sighting, please visit the Marine Conservation Society’s website.
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