Our Oceans are in a World of Pain – time to celebrate World Oceans Day

It’s One Ocean

The ocean? The oceans? We can’t even find the right words to describe our lungs, supermarket and waste disposal system. Because that’s what the ocean is.

In fact, we don’t even have a consistent answer for how many there are – when I was a kid it was always five…but apparently historically there were four (Atlantic, Pacific, Indian and Arctic) with the fifth (Southern, or Antarctic) only being added more recently.

Not that it matters – it’s all one ocean, really, in terms of connectivity. So I’m going to use the singular and refer to Our Ocean.

The Importance of Our Ocean

Which, as I’m sure many people know, are incredibly important to life on earth.

Covering 71% of the earth’s surface, it is the single largest ecosystem in the world and in the past provided the channel through which significant global migrations could occur – Asia to the Americas, trans-Pacific ocean journeys.

It is our ocean

The ocean is the source of 50% of the oxygen we breathe, hosts an estimated 94% of all species on Earth and is home to the largest living structure on earth – the Great Barrier Reef. 37 of 50 critical minerals can be found in the ocean…Yet less than 10% of the ocean has been mapped.

Us vs Our Ocean?

And look how we treat this treasure. We treat it like a giant trash bin, and an open sewer. 8 million tons of plastic enter the ocean every year. Pollution from land clearing and urban settlements are released into it every day, not to mention oil spills, discarded fishing nets and coastal habitat destruction. We are over-fishing it to the point of collapse.

Some asset.

Climate Change And Our Ocean

And now climate change, bringing with it stronger storms and higher tides, causing even more damage to our own habitat, particularly for those living near the coast – as is common in this part of the world. Already we have seen houses swept away in storms stronger than local islanders can recall.

Not to mention ocean warming.

At a time when the ocean is facing ever-growing threats, it seems somehow appropriate that we celebrate World Ocean Day while we are experiencing what is now accepted as the 4th global coral bleaching event.

Coral bleaching in Pulau Aur and Pemanggil

One of our most important marine ecosystems, coral reefs is currently experiencing record temperature highs, which most scientists accept is a result of global heating.

First, they bleach – when warm water causes the coral to expel tiny algae that normally live inside their tissues. If the water stays too warm for too long, corals will start to die.

When the corals are stressed, they turn white as they expel the algae that provide them with its colour and nutrients

Our Corals Are Bleaching

Our surveys over recent weeks show that in some areas, over 50% of corals are bleaching. At one site in Tioman island, the percentage of the population bleached has increased from below 10% to nearly 30%...in 15 days.

We don’t know how long the water will stay warm – data from NOAA suggest it will be several weeks, and we can’t be certain whether there will be any coral mortality.

What Can We Do When The Corals Are Bleaching

But whatever happens, we need to do two things:

• Immediately we need to look after the reefs we have by reducing local threats from tourism (sorry, but it’s the simplest, quickest solution in the short term) and waste and pollution, as well as managing coral predators.

• In the medium term, we need to find ways to increase the resilience of coral reefs – addressing sewage pollution, for example.

But the biggest problem?

Global heating?

Sorry – can’t fix that. That is going to require international agreements – which frankly are not looking too likely at the moment, given the continuing expansion of fossil fuel extraction, continuing subsidies…ok, I won’t go on.

You know what the problems are.

So please: celebrate World Oceans Day; think about what the Ocean gives to society. Then think about what we would be losing if we don’t look after it.

Happy World Oceans Day.

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Reflections On Ocean Month

World Reef Day is celebrated on the 1st of June every year

The ocean covers over 70% of the planet. It supports humanity’s sustenance and that of every other organism on Earth. The ocean produces at least 50% of the planet’s oxygen; it is home to most of Earth’s biodiversity and is the main source of protein for more than a billion people around the world.

Not to mention, the ocean is key to our economy, with an estimated 40 million people being employed by ocean-based industries by 2030.

Despite providing all these benefits, the ocean is in need of support.

With 90% of big fish populations depleted, and 50% of coral reefs destroyed, we are taking more from the ocean than can be replenished. We need to work together to create a new balance with the ocean that no longer depletes its bounty but instead restores its vibrancy and brings it new life.

June is a busy month for ocean conservation as it sees several “days” related to marine conservation.

World Oceans Day

The best known is, of course, World Oceans Day, which falls on 8 June.

The concept was originally proposed at the Earth Summit in 1992. The Ocean Project started global coordination of World Ocean Day in 2002, and "World Oceans Day" was officially recognised by the United Nations in 2008.

This international “day” aims to foster public interest in the protection of the ocean and the sustainable management of its resources. The WOD website provides information and resources on the importance of the oceans and ocean conservation.

Coral Triangle Day

WOD is followed immediately on 9th June by the less well known “Coral Triangle Day” which celebrates the Coral Triangle (CT). Malaysia is one of six CT countries, alongside Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Solomon Islands and Timor Leste (https://www.coraltriangleinitiative.org/).  

The coral triangle is home to some 400 million people and is recognized as the global centre of marine biological diversity. It has the highest coral diversity in the world, with 76% (605) of the world’s coral species (798). By comparison, approximately 8% of coral species (61) occur in the Caribbean.

In addition, the region serves as the spawning and juvenile growth area for five species of tuna, comprising the largest tuna fisheries in the world. The biological resources of the Coral Triangle directly sustain the lives of more than 120 million people living within this area, and benefit millions more worldwide.

World Reef Day

More recently, World Reef Day was launched in the US three years ago. Falling on 1st June, WRD helps to create awareness among various communities and the general public about ocean ecosystems.

It is a call to action for consumers, business and organisations to reflect on the fragility of coral reef ecosystems. The day brings together the general public and opinion leaders to encourage active change through education and engagement.

What does all this mean?

There are many signs that the health of the ocean – essential for all life on earth – is declining. Fisheries in decline; the ocean gyres polluted with plastics; hypoxic zones.

Just within our own sphere of activity, the problems facing coral reefs are immense – and they not going away on their own. Pollution from sewage and other land-based activities; physical impacts from growing numbers of tourists; coastal development. Just some of the impacts to coral reefs.

And now climate change.

The coral bleaching we are seeing now is at least partly caused by warming oceans – temperatures are 2-3 degrees centigrade above usual, and this is stressing corals and causing them to lose their colour.

Corals are starting to bleach due to the warm weather we are experiencing

We need policy makers to understand how fragile these ecosystems are – coral reefs and their associated coastal ecosystems, mangroves and seagrass, are critical for livelihoods, food security and coastal protection, among others.

The more people who are aware and talking about these issues, the louder the conversation becomes…maybe to the point where policy makers can’t ignore it any more.

Things have to change. Or nature will change them for us.

So Many Days....

On Saturday 11th June, I participated in a beach clean-up organised by one of our long-time sponsors, Sime Darby Foundation. They have been supporting our work on Tioman island for eight years and we are now working to get the island up to speed for accreditation to the IUCN Green List standard.

The event was arranged to coincide with World Environment Day on 5th June – but had to be delayed a week due to a local holiday. Thinking about it that morning, I realised that June 5th was just one “day” in that week. World Ocean Day is on June 8th, and Coral Triangle Day is on June 9th.

And I started to wonder, what have all these “days” achieved in raising awareness about the importance of, and threats to, our ecosystems? Judging by the amount of trash we picked up this morning, not much, is the depressing answer.

Photo credit: Yayasan Sime Darby

140 people joined the effort, and between them they collected 1,074 kg of trash in just one hour. The usual culprits – plastic bottles, diapers (yuck!), cans, food wrappers and so on. Surprisingly few straws, though. Maybe that campaign has had an impact!

But here’s the rub. I can almost guarantee that if I go out to the same location next week I will face the same rubbish-strewn beach and – particularly – mangrove forest.

Photo credit: Yayasan Sime Darby

Because a lot of what we found looked like it was deliberately thrown there. We were pulling out plastic bags full of what I will call “picnic trash” – food wrappers, plastic bottles, cutlery – all nicely packed in a bag…and then carelessly discarded on departure.

Does that sound judgemental? Does it sound like a huge assumption?

Come, visit, I’ll show you, and I am quite sure you will find yourself in agreement.

I acknowledge that some beach trash arrives from the ocean; I get it, and I have seen it in many places. But this was in a mangrove back from the main beach; near the parking lot, and on a road out. I’m sorry, but not all that stuff came from the sea, having been discarded elsewhere. Not to mention all the “picnic trash” that we DID pick up ON the beach.

About 4 years ago, we (Reef Check Malaysia) decided to get more involved in the issue of marine debris, particularly plastic. Because it was becoming such a big problem that beach clean-ups alone weren’t going to solve it. So we started to work with various stakeholders to look at plans to remove single use plastics, move to a circular economy, raise awareness, etc., and maybe, one day, see an end to the need for beach clean-ups.

At the time, our (unofficial) slogan was “no more beach clean-ups in 10 years” – because, to quote a line often attributed to Einstein but which one source attributes to writer Rita Mae Brown, “insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, but expecting different results”. And that is what we were doing – lots of beach clean-ups…but nothing seemed to change.

This all became horribly apparent that morning on seeing the mess on the beach but – more particularly – in the mangrove. It was awful, truly awful.

Photo credit: Yayasan Sime Darby

Many of the volunteers were on their first clean-up, and were surprised at the amount of trash in there. And when I talked to them about how mangroves are actually an important source of food and other ecosystem services - you could almost see light bulbs going on. While pulling trash out they were unearthing crabs (squeals!!) and asking “are these edible?”

Connections being made.

They got it.

So why are some of us such inveterate litterers that we just discard all this trash with no thought for the impact it will have – not just on the aesthetics of the place, but on the survival of the ecosystems? And ultimately, us?

I found several mangrove roots that were being strangled inside plastic bags that prevented them from growing properly. And I have seen the same on coral reefs where plastic bags cover corals - blocking off sunlight and killing them.

Photo credit: Yayasan Sime Darby

What do we need to say to get people to change this awful habit? Because like I said, I’m not sure that the message is getting through. I’m not sure we have made any progress – half way into our 10-year timescale. I’m all for raising awareness, which is what all these “days” are for; but it isn’t working and we need to fix it – see quotation above!

One of the participants has just returned from a safari holiday in Tanzania. He was relating to me how, on arrival, you are told “leave all the plastic behind in the airport because it isn’t allowed where you are going”. Strict regulations, emphatically enforced.

Another participant was telling me about a tourist spot outside Kuala Lumpur that is managed by one old man who insists that visitors take their trash with them. Because he cares enough to enforce some common sense guidelines.

We need to find a way to better enforce regulations – it won’t come as a surprise that there were signs all over the beach announcing the fines for littering. Yeah, that’s working.

And we need to find a way to get more people to care.

Photo credit: Yayasan Sime Darby

As David Attenborough said, “No one will protect what they don’t care about; and no one will care about what they have never experienced”.

So let’s keep those “days” coming – but work hard to get more and more people involved, so they can experience nature for themselves, and start to develop a sense of ownership.

Companies, schools, social groups – when you ask “what can we do to help?” the answer is – go organise a clean-up. Bring some people and let them see for themselves how we are trashing the ONE PLACE WE HAVE TO LIVE. Get that awareness raised, and keep doing it until it changes.

Government. Sorry, but things need to improve. Yes, people are littering on beaches. But is it not also true that household segregation and recycling rates are woeful? How many households even bother? And why not? Recycling infrastructure can still be improved, education can still be improved…and how about some enforcement of Act 672?

Photo credit: Yayasan Sime Darby

Shameless plug for our own event – sign up for International Coastal Clean-up Day with us – it’s happening in September - usually the third weekend but that coincides with Malaysia Day so we are having it the weekend before this year.

If you are keen to join, fill in the form here. Contact us for more details here.