Around 71 percent of the Earth’s surface is covered by the ocean. This produces the oxygen we breathe, absorbs the carbon dioxide we exhale, supplies the ecosystem and regulates the climate as well. Besides this, around 140 million people have also been employed in yachting, fishing and the tourism industry. It’s an undeniable fact that whatever pleasure the sea is providing us, it is still under a serious threat to our irresponsible activities.
The aim behind the Ocean Awards is to gather the people that are passionate about bringing improvement to the ocean. These awards are held in partnership with the Blue Marine Foundation, one of the leading ocean conservation charities in the UK. Altogether, there are five different categories of ocean awards. These categories include The Local Hero, Science, Innovation, Visionary and Public Awareness. The awards were arranged especially to celebrate the outstanding contribution of the individuals and projects that have contributed to the health of our oceans.
The nominations for the Ocean awards were closed on November 26, 2018. The finalists for the awards will be announced in February 2019 ,while the winners will be announced in June. As in the previous three editions of the Ocean Awards, judges will have the unenviable task of determining the finalists in each category.
The Local Hero Award recognizes an individual who has had the most positive impact on the marine environment, which was awarded to Norlan Pagal in 2018. Ben Halpern was awarded the science award, Ove Hoegh Guldberg received the Judges Special Award and Ben Kibel the innovation award. James Honeyborne, Mark Brownlow and their team clinched the public awareness award. The efforts made by these people is an indication that there are still people who care for the oceans and marine life.
Photo by Jason Leung
