August 2018
This year, National Marine Week runs from the 28th of July to the 12th of August. But hang on, you’re probably saying to yourself, that’s longer than a week! National Marine Week is actually 16 days long, to make the most of the different tide times around the country.
By stretching over 16 days, National Marine Week provides people all around the UK with the opportunity to get out and explore the shore over low tide, when the retreating sea reveals its treasures. To paraphrase a famous saying, time and tide wait for no man, woman or cephalopod!
A 16-day week also gives us more time to celebrate our amazing seas, and no matter where you are in the UK, there’s plenty to celebrate. Our seas help with natural flood management and water purification, they provide the oxygen for every other breath you take, and they’re home to over half of all our wildlife – that’s more than 30,000 weird and wonderful creatures, from colourful cuttlefish to delightful dolphins.
To help you discover more about our magnificent marine life, Wildlife Trusts across the UK are holding sea-themed events. You can head out on a seashore safari, searching rockpools for the tough creatures that the falling tide leaves behind, or delve a little deeper with a guided snorkel safari. For a more laid-back adventure, you could enjoy a picnic with a porpoise, scanning the sea for the splashes of whales, dolphins and porpoises as you snack.
However you plan to spend it, National Marine Week is a time to spare a thought for the amazing wildlife in our seas, and to think about the threats they face. From overfishing to plastic pollution, our seas have suffered in recent years, but we all have the power to help them recover. Think about the plastics you use (reduce, re-use, recycle), take part in a beach clean and join our group, Friends of Marine Conservation Zones, to keep up to date with the latest developments in our quest to bring our seas back to life.
You can learn more about National Marine Week events on our website.
Joan Edwards, Director of Living Seas, The Wildlife Trusts
Follow @WildlifeTrusts
The opinions expressed in this blog are the author's and not necessarily those of the wider Link membership.
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