Celebrating World Oceans Day with Galapagos Conservation Trust
World Oceans Day is celebrated annually on June 8th with the purpose of educating people on the unique and essential role that oceans play in our planet’s survival and highlighting the action that needs to be taken to protect them. 2024 sees the launch of a new, multi-year action theme for World Oceans Day, Catalysing Action for our Ocean & Climate. This will focus on accelerating climate change solutions and prioritising a more sustainable society resulting in healthy and thriving marine life.
Over the last five years Craghoppers have been working with Galapagos Conservation Trust (GCT), supporting with key conservation projects in the Galapagos Islands to monitor endangered marine species and fight against plastic pollution. We want to use World Oceans Day as an opportunity to shed some light on the amazing work and research GCT continue to do in order to protect one of the world’s most incredible and unique marine environments.
As part of World Oceans Day, we’ve worked with a local artist to do a window take over at our store in Ilkley, to be able to share facts about the wondrous creatures that call the Galapagos home. If you also pay the store a visit on Saturday 8th of June, you can scan the QR codes in store to learn more and pick up a goodie bag.
The Galapagos Islands
The Galapagos Archipelago is located in the Pacific Ocean, 1,000 kilometres off the coast of Ecuador. These famous islands are among the most protected environments in the world and are home to an array of species that cannot be found anywhere else on the planet.
Surrounding the islands are two marine reserves which protect 198,000 km2 of ocean. These waters provide an important marine migratory route for a number of rare and endangered species, including scalloped hammerhead sharks, whale sharks and leatherback turtles. However, plastic pollution poses a serious threat to this iconic reserve with marine species often accidentally ingesting plastic waste or becoming entangled in it.
As a result, eight tonnes of plastic is removed from the Galapagos coastline every single year and it is believed that more than 95% of this waste originates from outside of the marine reserves. It is vital that these oceanic reserves are protected and kept full of healthy marine life in order for the sustainable development of the Galapagos to continue.
The Work of Galapagos Conservation Trust
GCT is the only UK registered charity who focus exclusively on the protection of the ecosystems in the Galapagos Archipelago. Its on-going work and research is significant to not only the Galapagos, but also provides lessons for other ecosystems and habitats across the world. A large part of its work involves addressing and tackling some of the most pressing threats to the islands’ surrounding oceans including plastic pollution, climate change, and overfishing. GCT’s numerous projects and research help with the following:
- Marine Conservation - Protecting endangered species, such as the scalloped hammerhead and whale shark, by gathering evidence to support the creation of new marine protected areas.
- Plastic Pollution - Reducing plastic waste and its impact on marine life through local clean-up efforts and promoting sustainable practices.
- Community Engagement - Educating and involving local communities, younger people in particular, in the conservation efforts to ensure long-term sustainability for the Galapagos Islands’ oceans.
Conclusion
The amazing work done by GCT sets an example of how positive change can be made to preserve valuable marine habitats and their species. World Oceans Day is an opportunity for us all to educate ourselves on the vital importance of our oceans and the steps we can take towards protecting them. By supporting GCT and other marine conservation initiatives, we can all contribute to the health and sustainability of our oceans.
