Meanwhile, did you know your internet connection goes on mostly in the ocean?!95% of voice and data in telecommunication is carried, not by the satellites, but by submarine cables. Prof Tommy Koh and Robert C. Beckman raised this and other world ocean issues in their article World Oceans Day: Oceans awash in a sea of trouble for The Straits Times 8 Jun 10. They also highlight some legal issues, over-fishing and oil extraction in the sea.
In Malaysia, WWF unveiled Malaysia’s first sustainable seafood guide. The pocket-sized, bilingual guide in English and Bahasa Malaysia cover 50 of the most popular Malaysian seafood species. A survey showed that only a quarter of Malaysian consumers are aware of the declining fish supply. In some parts of Malaysia, demersal fish stocks have declined by as much as 90%. However, more than 70% of Malaysians are willing to reduce seafood consumption if they are aware that fish stocks are declining. Download the guide from www.saveourseafood.my.
The Star did an extensive feature on the sea turtles of Malaysia, detailing their status and threats.
The Maritime Institute of Malaysia also highlighted some of the threats to Malaysia's seas and coastal habitats such as mangroves and seagrasses meadows, in Love our seas The Star 8 Jun 10. The article ends with some very practical things we can do to reduce harm to the sea.
- Reduce the number of plastic bags.
- Get involved in beach clean-ups.
- Take all your trash home with you if you go to the beach.
- Don’t buy exotic fish for your aquarium or consume “live” captured (as opposed to cultured) fish at restaurants. Don’t buy fish that have ruptured swim bladders as they are clearly caught by blast fishing.
- Refrain from feeding reef fish or touching corals.
- Voice your concern about destructive coastal development and land reclamation activities.
I'm not very poetic, so I'm just going to share some favourite photos of our 'City Reefs' for this special day of the sea.
Sunrise over Little Sisters Island.
City skyline with night lights still on, from dawn on St. John's Island.
And Mei Lin looking at the Giant Clam found on Pulau Jong,just across from our Central Business District.
