Marine Life & Conservation
World’s largest dive community joins forces to protect the Great Barrier Reef
PADI is teaming up with Citizens of the Great Barrier Reef on a first-of-its-kind citizen science project to help protect the earth’s largest reef system. The Great Reef Census provides opportunity for divers everywhere to impact the long-term health of one of the most iconic dive destinations on the planet through online image analysis.
“As the impacts of climate change and other threats accelerate around the world, there is an urgent need to scale-up conservation efforts globally, which requires everyone to take part,” says Andy Ridley, CEO of Citizens of the Great Barrier Reef. “The global dive community is in a unique position to support these efforts with the skills, passion and knowledge needed to support marine conservation efforts.”
From October to December 2020, divers, dive boats, marine tourism operators and others in the reef community were mobilised to create a makeshift research flotilla. Their mission: to capture large-scale reconnaissance data and images from across Australia’s Great Barrier Reef. Dive crew, scientists, tourists and conservation groups volunteered hundreds of hours and surveyed more than 160 reefs from the tip of Cape York to the remote southern Swains. Over 13,000 images were captured and uploaded to the Great Reef Census platform to be analysed.
“As PADI scuba divers and professionals, we are all ambassadors for our oceans,” said Michelle Barry, a PADI Master Scuba Diver Trainer based on the Great Barrier Reef. “The Great Reef Census is a ground-breaking idea for ocean conservation that is inclusive of anyone with access to the internet. This allows people all around the world to visit the Reef virtually and to be part of an important project to protect it.”
PADI and Citizens of the Great Barrier Reef are calling upon divers worldwide, and all who care about the future of the ocean, to help turn these images into meaningful data, helping scientists and managers better understand the health of the reef system. Each image can be analysed by anyone, anywhere, with internet access and a few minutes to spare.
“This is the future of conservation on the Great Barrier Reef. This is where anyone can show that they care,” says Russell Hosp, PADI Master Scuba Diver Trainer, Environmental Manager and Master Reef Guide at Passions of Paradise, a PADI dive operator in Cairns, Australia. “If people are really serious about saving the Great Barrier Reef, this is their chance to go to greatreefcensus.org, stick their hand up and say, ‘Yes, I want to be part of the solution.’”
The Great Reef Census is the first to test the effectiveness of mass-scale engagement in a significant underwater research project. If proven successful, the model can be rolled out across the world, providing real-time status updates for the planet’s treasured reefs. And, ultimately, serving as an influential tool to establish greater legal protections for coral reefs worldwide.
“Divers have long understood the value of citizen science and their unique ability to witness and report changes to underwater environments,” says Kristin Valette-Wirth, Chief Brand and Membership Officer for PADI Worldwide. Programs like Project AWARE’s Dive Against Debris continue to effectively provide data to influence policy changes for increased ocean protections.
“Many of us may not be able to travel to or dive the reef right now but, regardless of circumstance, we can contribute to its future – and ultimately the future of other reef systems around the world,” continues Valette-Wirth.
From climate change to marine pollution and deforestation, the pressures on global ecosystems are accelerating rapidly. The Great Barrier Reef has experienced three mass coral bleaching events in the last five years, meaning traditional management and monitoring resources are becoming increasingly stretched.
“One of the greatest challenges to the Great Barrier Reef is that much of the world believes it’s already gone. But the Reef is massive, the same size as Germany, so the reality is it’s a patchwork system of incredibly healthy, degraded and recovering reefs,” said Ridley.
Only five to 10 percent of the Great Barrier Reef is regularly surveyed, the Great Reef Census is designed to help fill critical gaps in our knowledge of how individual reefs are coping with stresses and has already returned valuable data.
All are encouraged to get involved in the survey at greatreefcensus.org. To learn more about issues impacting ocean health and ways to be part of the solution, join the community of PADI Torchbearers uniting to save the ocean at padi.com/onebillion.
HEADER PHOTO CREDIT: GRUMPY TURTLE CREATIVE
Marine Life & Conservation
12 Days of Zero-Waste Fish-mas
This holiday period, the Marine Conservation Society, the UK’s leading ocean membership charity, invites you to make some simple changes to eating fish this Christmas to help our seas.
Dr Kenneth Bodles, Head of Fisheries and Aquaculture at the Marine Conservation Society, said, “During the festive season, our consumption increases, but so does waste. Sustainability isn’t just about where food comes from – it’s also about how you use it. By reducing waste and making the most out of your seafood, you’re not only taking steps to be more ocean-friendly, but can also help to cut costs during what is often one of the most expensive times of the year”.
The Marine Conservation Society has compiled twelve tips on how to consume seafood sustainably with zero-waste this Christmas:
Buy whole fish instead of fillets
Instead of fillets, consider buying whole fish such as salmon, hake, or lemon sole. By adopting a “nose to tail” approach with cooking, whole-baked fish not only feeds a crowd, but also helps to minimise waste and maximise sustainability by using up every part of the animal, including bones, skin, and fat.
Make fish stock
Leftover fish bones or shells can be put to good use by boiling them to make a nourishing fish stock or bisque. This can be frozen and preserved for later use and makes for a flavourful base in a soup.
Make your own fish pâté
Avoid waste by turning leftover fish, such as smoked mackerel or salmon, into a delicious pâté by blending with cream cheese and lemon. Perfect when paired with crackers.
The sustainability of salmon and mackerel varies depending on where and how it is caught or farmed. For more information on green-rated options, check the charity’s Good Fish Guide.
Buy frozen
By purchasing seafood that is frozen or vacuum-packed, this helps to reduce waste by extending the shelf life of your food.
Fish pie
If you’re wondering what to do with leftover cooked fish, why not opt for a classic fish pie with mashed potatoes, leeks, and a cheesy sauce? A sure crowd pleaser on Boxing Day.
Use the head
Don’t forget the fish head! The meat is incredibly tender and flavourful. The charity recommends a cod’s head curry or recreating Fallow’s renowned cod’s head in siracha butter.
By stretching your ingredients further, not only is this a more sustainable way to enjoy seafood, but also cost-effective by repurposing leftovers and cooking creatively.
Boxing Day brunch
Mix leftover kippers or smoked salmon with scrambled eggs for a tasty, zero-waste, Boxing Day brunch.
For best choice, make sure you buy kippers, or herring, from the North Sea and the North Irish Sea.
Zero-waste storage
A top tip from the Marine Conservation Society to avoid waste is freezing fish offcuts to save for future use.
Crisp up the skin
Even leftover fish skin can be turned into a quick savoury snack by crisping it up in an air fryer with a little olive oil and salt.
Anchovies two ways
Leftover anchovies can either be blended with butter to make a delicious anchovy butter or tossed into pasta for a hit of umami flavour.
The charity recommends opting for anchovies caught in the Bay of Biscay for best choice.
Fishcakes
For an easy, zero-waste meal, leftover seafood trimmings can be mixed with mash and fried in breadcrumbs to make fishcakes.
Pickled mussels
Try pickling mussels in 1:1 vinegar and water, with a dash of sugar for a sustainable, zero-waste snack that can be enjoyed well beyond the festive season.
Mussels farmed in the UK are a seafood superhero. Grown using low-impact methods and harvested by hand, they get all the food they need from the sea around them. This makes them one of the most sustainable, ocean-friendly, and cost-effective seafood options.
Players of People’s Postcode Lottery have raised £6.6M towards the Marine Conservation Society’s vital work in making seafood more sustainable.
Laura Chow, Head of Charities at People’s Postcode Lottery, said: “Fish is a festive favourite for many, but making sustainable choices when it comes to how we buy and eat seafood makes all the difference for our ocean. Support from players of People’s Postcode Lottery has helped the Marine Conservation Society further its sustainable seafood work, so that we can all enjoy healthier, better protected seas.”
The Marine Conservation Society encourages you to make sustainable seafood choices a year-round habit, not just for Christmas. To check how sustainable the seafood on your plate is, you can visit the charity’s Good Fish Guide. The Guide helps consumers and businesses identify the most sustainable seafood using a simple traffic light system, based on where and how species are caught or farmed. Green is the best choice, amber means improvements are needed, and red indicates fish to avoid buying.
Zero-waste gift idea
Why not embrace a zero-waste Christmas by gifting a membership to support marine conservation? It’s a meaningful, low-waste gift that helps protect our ocean for generations to come. Memberships start from as little as £5 a month – the price of a sandwich and drink from your local coffee shop.
Find the latest sustainable seafood advice for wild-caught and farmed seafood on the Good Fish Guide, downloadable to your phone from www.mcsuk.org/goodfishguide.
Marine Life & Conservation
Shark Trust launches Oceanic 31 Shark Art Auction
After a two-year tour of UK art galleries, community spaces and aquariums, the Shark Trust’s acclaimed Oceanic31 exhibition takes its final bow at the Royal Geographical Society later this month. And the unique collection of artwork, depicting 31 species of oceanic sharks and rays, donated by 31 artists, is now open for bids from art lovers and shark enthusiasts. The online auction, launched today, will close on the 7th December at 8pm (BST). The money raised will support the Shark Trust Oceanics Programme.
People can now bid on 27 of the artworks by visiting this website:
https://superstars-auctions.com/sharktrustauction
It is a chance to own a beautiful piece of original art and to support the Shark Trust. The timing of the auction also means that these would make a very special Christmas gift for any shark-lover.
The diversity of pieces mirrors that of the sharks and rays they represent. You can bid on paintings, digital creations, sculptures, mixed media and more. You can pick your favourite artist or species of shark. Or you can select the perfect artwork to make a statement in your home or office. Whichever you choose, you will be supporting the work to protect these amazing animals.
One of the pieces of art has been selected to be auctioned live by Steve Backshall at the For the Love of Sharks event at the Royal Geographical Society in London on the 29th November. In addition to this, two further pieces will be raffled at this event, giving people a chance to win an incredible piece of shark art. For the Love of Sharks is the Shark Trust’s flagship evening. A night to celebrate sharks. Steve Backshall is the headline speaker at this event that will see other prominent shark advocates join him on stage.
Tickets for the event can be snapped up here:
https://thesharktrust.org.uk/Event/flos24
Those that would like to see the Oceanic 31 exhibition have one final chance. It is being displayed at the Pavilion at the Royal Geographic Society from 26th November until the 7th December. Entry is free.
Find out more here:
https://www.rgs.org/events/upcoming-events/oceanic-31
Paul Cox, Shark Trust CEO, Said “This exhibition has given us the opportunity to reach out to a new audience. And inspire more people with the wonderful sharks and rays on which our Big Shark Pledge campaign is based. We are immensely grateful to the 31 artists who have worked so hard to create these works.”
Bid for your favourite Oceanic 31 artwork here:
https://superstars-auctions.com/sharktrustauction
Banner Image: Smooth Hammerhead by Alicia Hayden
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