Survival of Sea-Life Depends On Ocean’s Health

The interconnection between clean water in the ocean and the vibrancy of sea-living creatures can be seen in the eight-parts PBS television series, The Shape of Life, produced by Sea Studios Foundation for National Geographic Television and Film. The production team, headed by Mark Shelly, used macro and underwater filming equipment and high definition imaging to tell the story of the great diversity of animal life in the ocean. Scientists and film makers brought to world’s attention the life of small size animals such as sea stars, sea urchins, jelly fish and showed their struggle for survival under water. They cannot stay alive if the water of the oceans is polluted. Earlier this month, on 8 June when celebrated the World Ocean Day, the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon warned us of the terrible toll human activity exacted on the world’s oceans and seas. Human beings are destroying the vulnerable marine ecosystem by throwing garbage and toxic chemicals into the rivers and the seas, damaging ocean’s health. Under the leadership of UNEP, governments and non-governmental organizations around the world worked together to clean-up their beaches, and got rid of marine litters to maintain the cleanliness of the oceans. Worthy of mentioning here is the action of twenty-one countries around the Mediterranean, and the European Union that approved a new law last year to prohibit the dumping of garbage from ships into the sea. Countries in the Caribbean also tried to reduce municipal pollution by improving the waste water management, and eliminated persistent organic pollutants. Northwest Pacific countries took action on biodiversity conservation to protect, manage and develop marine and coastal environment. They organized a series of seminar and workshop to raise public awareness to reduce marine litter. The Kenya’s project, “A Wetland-lagoon System for Wastewater Management” helped to keep the ocean clean. Since the Oceans covers more than 70 percent of the Earth’s surface. I think that it is our responsibility to take action and keep it healthy and clean. Survival of all lives on earth depends on it. One action any one can take is to support and join the Annual International Coastal Cleanup campaigns that are being organized by more and more countries around the world.