At Fishermans Wharf, celebrating World Oceans Day comes with the chance to put together an orca skeleton like a puzzle, inspect the crustaceans on harbour debris and peer into a tank full of B次元官网网址榚el grassB次元官网网址� B次元官网网址� one of the worldB次元官网网址檚 most vital and productive habitats.

Families from Victoria and beyond celebrated the ocean with the seventh annual event put on by the Greater Victoria Harbour Authority (GVHA) and Eaglewing tours, with educational and activity booths set up all around the wharf.

B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檝e been doing this event with Eaglewing Tours for the last seven years and itB次元官网网址檚 continued to grow every year,B次元官网网址� said GVHA communications manager Brian Cant. B次元官网网址淧eople are more in tune with whatB次元官网网址檚 going on with the environment and they are certainly more interested in things like ocean-related plastics and marine recovery with the Southern Resident Orcas.B次元官网网址�

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Conservationists, marine scientists and volunteers represented organizations like Parks Canada, the Georgia Straight Alliance, Sea Change, Watershed Watch, the Canadian Orca Rescue Society and more.

Filled with a passion for B.C. waters and the species that call them home, the enthusiasm for ocean life and conservation was infectious.

B次元官网网址淏eing able to engage with the community on World Oceans Day about the ocean we work to protect is really important to us,B次元官网网址� said Erin Edwards, volunteer coordinator with the Georgia Strait Alliance. The organization has a number of different outreach efforts, including the one on display Sunday about learning the difference between the transient, mammal-eating orcas and the resident fish-eaters.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 so important to protect this species at risk, and learn the differences between the killer whales that we see in the area,B次元官网网址� Edwards said. B次元官网网址淭oday has been such a great day because weB次元官网网址檝e been able to engage with a lot of youth and kids [and] itB次元官网网址檚 been really exciting to see their love and passion for the ocean.B次元官网网址�

After completing a dive in a small section of the harbour, the Emerald Sea Protection Society (ESPS) pulled up dozens of bottles and large pieces of garbage, including a large circular bin. Marine life had all grown all over the debris, adapting to human carelessness B次元官网网址� bu not without a cost.

B次元官网网址淵ou canB次元官网网址檛 see this looking at the water from here,B次元官网网址� said diver and ESPS president Bourton Scott. B次元官网网址淲hat we want to do is bring up some of it so you can say, B次元官网网址榃ow, this is sitting on the bottom right under our nose and we donB次元官网网址檛 know about it.B次元官网网址橞次元官网网址�

ItB次元官网网址檚 the same situation happening across our coasts, and all of the Canadian coast lines and the coast lines of the planet,B次元官网网址� Scott added.

Marine scientist Ally Stocks nodded in agreement.

B次元官网网址淵ou can see on peopleB次元官网网址檚 faces, just that shock that, B次元官网网址楾hatB次元官网网址檚 right under our feet!B次元官网网址� When all you see is a perfect glassy surface of water.B次元官网网址�

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Cant is happy to see so many people turning up for World Oceans Day B次元官网网址� a cause that he says needs some serious attention.

B次元官网网址淓verything thatB次元官网网址檚 in the ecosystem is driven by our worldB次元官网网址檚 oceans, so itB次元官网网址檚 critically important that we help educate people regardless of their age on how important that is to their day-to-day life and the long-term viability of the planet.B次元官网网址�

nina.grossman@blackpress.ca
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