Pure Underwater Images, Australia

I knew that all of you would all enjoy some beautiful footage created by Pure Underwater



www.ausmepa.org.au

OCEANS AND RIO + 20: ENSURING A VOICE FOR INDUSTRY

News Release World Ocean Council Workshop to Generate Business Input to 10-yearly UN Sustainable Development Conference 16 March 2012 – The WOC and the Australian Association for Maritime Affairs (AAMA) are collaborating to ensure that ocean industries have the opportunity to provide input to “Rio + 20”– the decadal UN Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio de Janeiro, 20-22 June 2012) for which oceans are a thematic priority. The WOC/AAMA Workshop on “Oceans, Industry and Rio + 20” (Canberra, 4 April) will bring together the diverse ocean business community to provide input to the UN conference via the Australian Government delegation and the WOC. Shipping, fisheries, oil/gas, aquaculture, offshore renewable energy, tourism, dredging, mining, and other ocean industries are invited to the workshop to consider the Rio + 20 marine agenda issues that have major business implications. These include: amending the Law of the Sea to address marine biodiversity in the high seas, developing marine protected areas, reducing marine pollution/debris, achieving sustainable fisheries, undertaking regular assessments of ocean health, and other proposals. The Australian Commonwealth Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities (SEWPaC) is preparing the government’s position for Rio +20 and is interested in input from the maritime industries operating in Australia. The Australian Government is a leader on the Rio +20 ocean issue negotiations overall, so the Canberra workshop provides ocean industries a unique opportunity for input to the inter-governmental process at Rio +20. The WOC involvement in Rio + 20 is working to provide the eyes, ears and voice for the responsible ocean business community and bring forward the industry input generated at the Canberra workshop, as well as other business community input to the WOC on Rio + 20. Constructive, coordinated industry action is essential to helping inform and shape international efforts on ocean sustainable development and ensure they are based on the realities of responsible business operations in the marine environment. The workshop will also discuss development of a multi-sectoral ocean industry leadership alliance in Australia to facilitate collaboration among industries and collective engaging of other ocean stakeholders on cross-cutting issues affecting the future of responsible ocean economic activity in Australia. Space at the workshop is limited and industry representatives interested in participating should contact the AAMA as soon as possible at admin@aama.asn.au.

About the World Ocean Council (WOC) The WOC is the only international, cross-sectoral alliance for private sector leadership and collaboration in “Corporate Ocean Responsibility”. Companies and associations worldwide are distinguishing themselves as leaders in ocean sustainability and stewardship by joining the WOC. Members to date include over 40 leadership organizations from a wide range of ocean industries: renewable energy, oil and gas, shipping, seafood, tourism, ocean technology, maritime law, marine environmental services and other areas.

Contact: Paul Holthus             +1 (808) 277-9008       paul.holthus@oceancouncil.org Web: www.oceancouncil.org To subscribe to future WOC News or to update your contact information, click here. To share this issue of WOC News with others (on Facebook, Twitter, etc), click here.

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World Coral Reefs at Risk

Google Earth Tour of Reefs at Risk

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Education for Sustainability Professional Learning Hub

The Education for Sustainability (EfS) Hub is an initiative developed by the NSW Office of Environment and Heritage and the Australian Association of Environmental Education (AAEE) New South Wales Chapter. A number of industry professionals were contracted to design an online professional development tool for people working in sustainability or environmental education. The Education for Sustainability Professional Learning Hub (The EfS Hub)  was created and is free to join and use.

How it Works

The EfS Hub website is a professional support resource for people working in Education for Sustainability (including Environmental and Marine Education). The website is designed around a framework (The Education for Sustainability Capabilities Framework) which includes all the skills and knowledge (capabilities) necessary for effective Education for Sustainability. It is designed to link EfS Practitioners to industry-specific information, workshops, courses, resources and websites. 

Upon registering, you complete a survey. The EfS Hub then uses your responses to link you with resources and service providers in areas where you need support. In addition, you can use the Hub to search for events in various categories or locations, as well we using it to promote EfS events or workshops you may be facilitating. Essentially, it facilitates links between EfS practitioners, service providers and information. 

www.efslearninghub.net.au

admin@efslearninghub.net.au

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2012 Healthy Waterways Awards, South East QLD

Ocean Whispers readers in South East Queensland will be very interested to know that the entries have now opened for the 2012 Healthy Waterways Awards and Healthy Waterways is encouraging everyone to submit an entry! The Awards recognise and reward the hard work that individuals, community groups and organisations undertake to protect the health of South East Queensland’s precious waterways.

Each entrant has the chance to win a share in $23,500 in prize money.

Entry into the Awards is easy, simply download the Entry Form from their website www.healthywaterways.org.Entries close 5pm Monday 23 April 2012 and winners will be announced at the Awards Gala Dinner onThursday 28 June.

Reasons to enter the Healthy Waterways Awards:

• Be recognised as a waterway champion

• Increase awareness of your work

• Celebrate your achievements

• Boost your reputation as a leader in the water industry

• Gain support for future projects

• Win prize money.

Rachael Nasplezes

Senior Community Engagement Officer

T:              (07) 3177 9100        (ext 409) | M: 0458394563 | F: (07) 3177 9190

E:  rachael.nasplezes@healthywaterways.org

W: www.healthywaterways.org

Visit: Level 25, Hitachi Building, 239 George St, Brisbane 4000
Post: PO Box 13086, George St, Brisbane Qld 4003

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TED TALK: Dr Daniel Pauly, The ocean's shifting baseline

"We transform the world, but we don't remember it. We adjust our baseline to the new level, and we don't recall what was there.” (Daniel Pauly)


From the TED TALK page here

The ocean has degraded within our lifetimes, as shown in the decreasing average size of fish. And yet, as Daniel Pauly shows us onstage at Mission Blue, each time the baseline drops, we call it the new "normal." At what point do we stop readjusting downward?

Daniel Pauly is the principal investigator at the Sea Around Us Project, which studies the impact of the world's fisheries on marine ecosystems. The software he's helped develop is used around the world to model and track the ocean. Full bio 

STUDENTS AND TEACHERS who want to help spread the message about change in your own place should visit AUSMEPA's  Student Leadership for Coastal Conservation pages here. Consider how you might assist in re-setting the shifting baselines through your own efforts:

• Photo survey project here
• Work with local community groups on a conservation project here
• Develop your own communication project to share what you've learned here

www.ausmepa.org.au

NATIONAL SEAWEEK 2012; Plastics in the sea

March 11 -17

by Bob Winters

The miracle of plastic is that it is slow to breakdown so when it becomes litter it can last a long long time even longer than you. In the sea it’s like a trap being able to choke some animals when it’s eaten or trap and kill other animals when they get entangled.

Plastic in the sea is something we can all help to prevent. On this page there are links so you can:

1    .      Find out how mind blowing the problem the problem is

2    .      Learn how plastic other litter and pollution starts in the streets around you

3    .      Tell others what they can do to save our seas.

Mind blowing problem

Project Kaisei is an anti plastic campaign that runs out of Hong Kong. They want to clean the many millions of tones of plastic floating in the ocean. Go to their website to find out just how big the problem is and how much of the ocean is covered in plastic. www.projectkaisei.org

Litter in your street = polluted seas

In Australia most of the plastic that gets into the sea is litter caused by people like us. This website will help you find how litter gets into the sea and why it is a problem. It will also give you ideas about solving the problems and what you can do to help. www.ausmepa.org.au/marine-stormwater-pollution

How can I get others to help?

Believe it or not if you were to explain an environmental problem to someone, they are more willing to believe you rather than a Politian. What is it about litter destroying our marine environment that you are passionate about? You don’t need to be a media tycoon to tell the world. Use the communication tools on the AUSMEPA website to design your own media project to tell others how they need to help protect the sea from plastic. http://www.ausmepa.org.au/student-leadership/default.asp?pageId=34&nav1=16&nav2=57

Use the photos that can be downloaded from this website in your communication project.

Email AUSMEPA to post to you a free Marine Litter poster info@ausmepa.org.au and download digital images of the posters from http://www.ausmepa.org.au/other.asp?pageId=32


www.ausmepa.org.au