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A healthy ocean is vital to the health of our planet, it provides 50% of the oxygen we breathe and absorbs more CO2 than the atmosphere; it provides food, jobs and recreation and it needs our protection. World Oceans Day, marked on 8th June each year, seeks to highlight the issues facing 70% of the Earth’s surface. The mission for 2020 is to gain protected status for 30% of the World’s oceans by 2030. With just 5% currently enjoying protected status, there’s a long way to go.

Here in the Maldives 42 areas have been designated as Marine Protected Areas, creating safe havens for marine life. In Lhaviyani Atoll, the protected areas are Kuredu Express and Fushivaru Thila – well known for sharks and mantas respectively both abundant with fish life. In South Ari Atoll there is huge swathe of reef under protection due to it being a globally significant aggregation site for whale sharks. As well as areas of protection the Maldives protects certain species too and the list includes: coral, sharks, napoleon wrasse and turtles – all of which can be seen when diving and snorkelling with us.

You, as divers and snorkellers, make perfect ambassadors for the ocean, you’ve seen how incredible life below the surface is and spreading the word is a really effective way of saving the oceans from destruction by human activities. The more people who have expereinecd first hand the wonders of the marine world the better – they will want to save it too!

Visit the World Oceans Day website to add your name to the Protect 30 by 2030 petition.

‘No water, no life. No blue, no green’

– Sylvia Earle, marine biologist, oceanographer and explorer.