This article was published in Scientific American’s former blog network and reflects the views of the author, not necessarily those of Scientific American
Happy World Oceans Day!
But...is it really happy? The world's oceans are experiencing a large amount of trauma at the hands of the irresponsible Homo sapiens, this is not a secret. However, today marks the release of four new short films that focus on how North America's marine protected areas help to protect marine life and to sustain economies. The films tell short stories that highlight some of North America’s nearly 2,000 marine protected areas and vividly illustrate how they enhance our scientific understanding, provide exciting recreational experiences, help protect a large number of species, restore fisheries and conserve key habitats, and support communities that depend on marine resources.
The films are the result of a unique partnership between the Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC), North America’s marine protected area agencies and a network of 24 aquarium Coastal Ecosystem Learning Centers, under the Washington-based Coastal America, in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
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So today, for World Oceans Day, let's remember that despite all of the bad news there is some good news as well.