Towards conserving marine life

In The Sea

On the face of it, it is just another aquarium where you can take a marine voyage beneath the waves and explore over 60 spectacular displays that bring you eye to eye with everything from starfish to seahorses.

The most popular reason why children drag their parents to the National Sea Life Centre at Birmingham, is probably to meet Nemo, the clownfish from Finding Nemo, with one fin smaller than the other, who swims happily with his onscreen father Marlin.

The second is probably the thrill of watching sharks and the enormous giant sea turtles - Molokai and Gulliver who make people speechless by their monstrous appearances in the one million litre ocean tunnel. In association with the Marine  Conservation Society, the centre cleverly pegs environmental issues with the fun and excitement along with regular talks and feeding demonstrations provide an even deeper insight into the magical mysteries of the seas.

According to Katherine Stephenson, Fundraising Coordinator, Marine Conservation Society, “Lots of people don’t realise that leatherback turtles visit our UK shores to eat jellyfish! You can help protect these endangered creatures by adopting a turtle with MCS.

Sadly turtles are really affected by rubbish at sea, and it’s something we can all have a positive impact on by recycling and disposing of rubbish properly (not down the toilet or dropping things in the street!)”

Stop whaling
Frequent references to one of the major projects the centre is associated with naturally evoke curiosity. In the month of July, visitors were invited to join Sea Life for a fun family five mile walk and help stop commercial whaling.

Posters tell you that 30,000 whales have been killed since 1986 despite an international ‘ban’ and pressure is mounting for the ban to be lifted. Part of the campaign to Stop Whaling were walks organised at all the Sea Life Centres and seal sanctuaries in the country.

A five-mile sponsored walk started and finished at every Sea Life centre with prizes in cash and kind for those raising the most sponsorship.

Beachwatch
Another project tourists are introduced to is Beachwatch. Those concerned can sign up for the Marine Conservation Society annual beach clean and survey that takes place every September.

By organising Beachwatch in an area, locals are encouraged to help highlight the problems of coastal pollution while gathering data on the amount, types and sources of marine and beach litter.

Information from hundreds of beaches around the UK is analysed to identify the most common items of litter on the coast. A report of the results is published, and used as a focus for the MCS Campaign For Clean Seas to increase individual, industry and government responsibility to keep litter out of our seas.

Adopt-a-turtle
Turtles are illegally hunted for their eggs, meat and shells. Nesting beaches are threatened by uncontrolled development, thousands of turtles drown needlessly after getting entangled in fishing gear, and marine litter and pollution claim the lives of many turtles.

Without urgent action, some turtle populations may soon be lost forever.

Through Adopt-a-Turtle, MCS provides financial and practical assistance to marine turtle research and conservation projects around the world. Visitors are encouraged to adopt a turtle and help save the species.

Basking shark watch
Basking sharks visit UK waters every summer. They are the second largest fish in the world yet people know very little about them. MCS launched the Basking Shark Watch Project in 1987 and the information gathered by volunteers since then has provided vital evidence that conservation measures were and are needed to ensure the future of the basking shark. It is now fully protected in UK law.