Positive ocean news: September 2022 edition
From the release of turtle hatchlings to removing litter from UK beaches, we’ve rounded up some top positive ocean news stories from September to celebrate the wins for our seas.
Hawksbill turtle hatchlings released in Middle Caicos
Credit: Dr Peter Richardson
Rare sighting of elegant cuttlefish
A tiny, elegant cuttlefish (Sepia elegans) was spotted on the Isle of Wight. Marine photographer, Theo Vickers, was able to capture rare and beautiful underwater footage of the little creature. There’s only one previous confirmed sighting of this species on the Island – 16 years ago – and another in the Solent back in 1997 – so this is truly a rare find!
Read the full story on the On the Wight news website
Thousands of volunteers remove litter from UK beaches
Credit: Robert Ormerod
Our Great British Beach Clean took place over the last month, with thousands of volunteers taking part in beach cleans and inland litter picks across the UK. Volunteers collected and removed litter, recording what they found, helping to clean up our beaches and ocean, and protect wildlife.
It wasn’t just litter they collected, volunteers also collected valuable data which we’ll use to campaign for changes in legislation which will further benefit our ocean.
Beached whale in Brittany swims back into sea
Credit: Sea Shepherd
A 12-metre whale became stranded on the French shore and, after several hours, it was feared that the animal would not survive.
Despite weight loss and weakness, the fin whale was thankfully able to return to the Atlantic when the tide came in that evening, using a trench which had been dug by marine conservation group, Sea Shepherd.
After gathering its strength in the hopes of returning to the ocean, volunteers helped the whale back into the sea.
Read the full story on The Times website
Shell’s oil and gas exploration rights revoked
Credit: Dan Griswick
Last year, the South African government granted petroleum giant Shell rights to search for deep-sea oil and gas reserves off the South African east coast, by conducting underwater explosions known as ‘seismic blasting’.
By firing high-volume airguns at the seabed, a method which disturbs, harms, and can even kill marine life, Shell planned to map over 6,000 square kilometres of the region’s sea floor.
Activists took Shell to court following environmental concerns, and as a result, the Eastern Cape High Court revoked Shell’s exploration rights.
Read the full story on the Euro News website