This year’s theme is “Strong Marine Protected Areas for Our Blue Planet.”
World Oceans Day is a global reminder of the importance of our oceans and the need to protect them. First proposed at the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, it was officially recognised by the United Nations in 2008.
Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) are like underwater national parks and are put in place to help protect marine habitats, marine species including dolphins and whales, conserve historic sites like shipwrecks, and reduce damaging fishing practices. Although there are more than 16,900 MPAs worldwide, they cover only about 10% of the ocean – still short of the global goal to protect 30% of the world’s oceans by 2030. Despite the proven benefits of coastal MPAs for nature and people, MPAs are not being established at the pace needed to meet the global target. Protecting our oceans is a global challenge that requires global action. The UK has 377 MPAs covering around 38% of its marine environment, including important cetacean protection areas in Scottish waters such as the Moray Firth.
The oceans affect us all in positive ways, whether you live on the coastline or in the desert, and protecting them starts with everyday actions we can all take to preserve marine environments for the future. We don’t own the blue planet; we belong to it, and creating strong MPAs will help protect the world’s oceans for future generations.
Our Ocean – Our Responsibility – Our Future
