Why support the protection of marine life?

Oceans cover more than 70% of the Earth's surface. It is responsible for every breath we take. In addition, it provides us with food, medicine, energy, and more. It's the way we send and receive goods, the place we play and the constant source of inspiration. As divers, we love our sea!

The marine life we ​​hope to see when we dive depends on healthy oceans. So when we make conscious choices that help save our oceans, we also preserve its rich biodiversity and beauty for future generations.

Here are some ways to help protect marine life:

Reduce waste and plastic pollution

Why? It harms wildlife and can damage and degrade sensitive habitats such as coral reefs and seagrass beds. Marine litter also affects shipping safety.

Additionally, there is evidence that ocean pollution is having a negative impact on the economy. People head to dive destinations like the Caribbean and Hawaii expecting pristine oceans and coastlines. If what you find isn't the idyllic paradise you had in mind, you won't want to come back and the local economy will suffer. Marine debris also causes economic losses to the fishing and shipping industries, threatens the well-being and quality of life of coastal communities, and even threatens human health and safety.

Marine debris harms marine life

Most people know that the amount of trash in our oceans is terrible; few realise the impact this has on marine life.

Marine litter and plastic pollution harm and kill millions of marine and coastal animals every year. For example, ghost nets and old fishing lines can entangle whales, sharks, seals and other beloved megafauna. In marine mammals, this can lead to amputation and/or drowning if they remain stuck on the bottom and cannot surface.

Seabirds, fish and other species also ingest unhealthy litter and micro-plastics. Unfortunately, these do not break down and biodegrade in the body. For example, adult sea turtles often mistake floating plastic bags for their favourite food: jellyfish. The sacs can clog their guts, making them think they're full when they're hungry, or preventing them from absorbing vital nutrients. Baby turtles eat micro-plastics in the water column, eventually clogging and destroying their digestive tracts.

Make sustainable choices to protect marine life

As consumers, we have a lot of influence in protecting our oceans. The choices we make—about food, clothing, transportation, cleaning products, and more—do affect the ocean and all the creatures that live there. So when we make sustainable choices, we consider the ocean, the planet and all species, including us.

First, we can eliminate single-use items in favour of reusable items – including straws, cutlery, water bottles, shopping bags and more. Every time we do this, we reduce waste and keep our oceans safe. If you're already using reusable materials, consider gifting them to family and friends to help them get started sustainably.

We can also choose clothes made from recycled plastic. SeaMorgens, for example, is a company that makes swimwear entirely from recycled fishing nets. Most swimwear fabrics are made from virgin plastic, so this is a great up cycling solution.

Participate in cleanup efforts to protect marine life

The number one priority is to reduce our waste. The second is to remove marine litter and plastic pollution from our waters and shores. One easy and fun way to do this is to join a cleanup event. Plus, these can be done above and below the surface for maximum impact!

Whenever you walk along the water or take a boat, you can keep an eye out for litter. Collecting helps protect wildlife and vulnerable marine habitats. Conservation groups such as Surfrider and The Ocean Cleanup conduct regular coastal cleanups.

Join in with a beach / scuba cleanup

As The Waterhoppers we are always looking to make things better, this includes the environment. An example of this, the team at our Kolymbia base Leo, Lara and Nikos had a great day cleaning Kolymbia beach and dive site.

If you would like to join these guys for a dive as a 1st time diver as part of the Waterhoppers Try Dive experience or as a certified / qualified diver. Simply check out our website for more information here.

Blog post referance https://blog.padi.com/easy-ways-to-support-marine-life-conservation/