The European commissioner for environment, maritime affairs and fisheries, Karmenu Vella, has launched a new programme calling on aquariums around the world to pull together in the fight against ocean debris, especially plastic waste.
Almost 100 aquariums have so far signed up to take part, helping raise visitor awareness and creating exhibitions to illustrate how plastic is destroying the marine environment and its wildlife.
“Aquariums are a TV screen to the ocean,” says Vella. “This campaign on marine litter is urgent and welcome. The world’s aquariums have decided to become the oceans’ ‘breaking news’ to avoid becoming its history channel.”
The campaign, World Aquariums Against Marine Litter, aims to educate visitors about the 10 million tonnes of litter that end up in the oceans annually, causing the deaths of millions of marine animals. Aquariums in Asia, Europe, and the Americas are getting involved in the project, which was organised by the European Union as part of the United Nation’s #CleanSeas campaign.
As well as showing visitors the dangers and consequences of plastic pollution, aquariums will also present solutions, such as a circular economy approach, and offer advice on what individuals can do to help.
“This summer, millions of visitors across the globe will visit an aquarium. To bring change we must show them the reality of plastic pollution,” Vella says.
The project was launched in July at the Oceanographic Museum of Monaco and attended by Prince Albert II of Monaco, UN Environment Programme executive director Erik Solheim and World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA) CEO Doug Cress.
The World Aquariums Against Marine Litter initiative is being held in the run up to the Our Ocean conference, which takes place in Malta on 5 and 6 October.
Read more from this issue of Attractions Management magazine
View contents of Attractions Management 2017 issue 3
Interview: Wolfgang Kiessling
We talked to Wolfgang Kiessling, who set
up a small parrot park on Tenerife in the
1970s. Today, Loro Parque and Siam Park
are some of Europe’s top attractions
Promotional feature: Sysco Productions
Sysco Productions is a world-class experience delivery
company, working for global clients in the museum and
heritage, exhibition, and sports and leisure industries
NEED TO KNOW • 10 million tonnes of litter end up in the oceans every year. That’s a rate of one garbage truck per minute, or 400kg per second• Millions of marine animals die every year because of marine litter, including sea birds, seals, whales, dolphins and turtles• In some places, microplastics outnumber plankton by six to one• By 2050, there could be more plastic than fish in the oceans• By 2050, 99 per cent of seabirds could have ingested plastic• Europeans use 200 plastic bags per person every year. Only 7 per cent of those are recycledSource: EU Commission for Environment, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries
photo: Gareth Fuller/PA Archive/PA Images
The amount of plastic waste ending up
in the oceans is reaching a critical point
JOINING THE FIGHT: Partcipating aquariums include: • Fundación Mundo Marino (Argentina); • Fundación Teimaken (Argentina); • Haus des Meeres (Austria);• Zoo Antwerpen (Belgium); • Vancouver Aquarium (Canada); l Ocean Park (Hong Kong); • Beijing aquarium (China); • Aquatika (Croatia); • Den Blå Planet (Denmark); • Cretaquarium (Greece); • Aquamarine Fukushima (Japan); l Bergen Aquarium (Norway); • Malta National Aquarium (Malta); • Moskvarium (Russia); • Two Oceans Aquarium (South Africa); • Georgia Aquarium, National Aquarium (US), plus tens more aquariums across France, Germany, Spain and the UK.
Karmenu Vella, European commissioner for environment, maritime affairs and fisheries
#OurOcean campaign material from the European Commission gives practical tips
COMPANY PROFILES
Taylor Made Designs
Founded in 1993, Taylor Made
Designs supply corporate clothing
and brand-enhancing merchandise
to [more...]
Alterface
Alterface’s Creative Division team is
seasoned in concept and ride development,
as well as storyte [more...]
TechnoAlpin Indoor
TechnoAlpin is the world leader for snowmaking systems. With the Indoor snow division, TechnoAlpin c [more...]
Holovis
Holovis is a privately owned company
established in 2004 by CEO Stuart
Hetherington. [more...]
The European commissioner for environment, maritime affairs and fisheries, Karmenu Vella, has launched a new programme calling on aquariums around the world to pull together in the fight against ocean debris, especially plastic waste.
Almost 100 aquariums have so far signed up to take part, helping raise visitor awareness and creating exhibitions to illustrate how plastic is destroying the marine environment and its wildlife.
“Aquariums are a TV screen to the ocean,” says Vella. “This campaign on marine litter is urgent and welcome. The world’s aquariums have decided to become the oceans’ ‘breaking news’ to avoid becoming its history channel.”
The campaign, World Aquariums Against Marine Litter, aims to educate visitors about the 10 million tonnes of litter that end up in the oceans annually, causing the deaths of millions of marine animals. Aquariums in Asia, Europe, and the Americas are getting involved in the project, which was organised by the European Union as part of the United Nation’s #CleanSeas campaign.
As well as showing visitors the dangers and consequences of plastic pollution, aquariums will also present solutions, such as a circular economy approach, and offer advice on what individuals can do to help.
“This summer, millions of visitors across the globe will visit an aquarium. To bring change we must show them the reality of plastic pollution,” Vella says.
The project was launched in July at the Oceanographic Museum of Monaco and attended by Prince Albert II of Monaco, UN Environment Programme executive director Erik Solheim and World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA) CEO Doug Cress.
The World Aquariums Against Marine Litter initiative is being held in the run up to the Our Ocean conference, which takes place in Malta on 5 and 6 October.
Read more from this issue of Attractions Management magazine
View contents of Attractions Management 2017 issue 3
Interview: Wolfgang Kiessling
We talked to Wolfgang Kiessling, who set
up a small parrot park on Tenerife in the
1970s. Today, Loro Parque and Siam Park
are some of Europe’s top attractions
Promotional feature: Sysco Productions
Sysco Productions is a world-class experience delivery
company, working for global clients in the museum and
heritage, exhibition, and sports and leisure industries
NEED TO KNOW • 10 million tonnes of litter end up in the oceans every year. That’s a rate of one garbage truck per minute, or 400kg per second• Millions of marine animals die every year because of marine litter, including sea birds, seals, whales, dolphins and turtles• In some places, microplastics outnumber plankton by six to one• By 2050, there could be more plastic than fish in the oceans• By 2050, 99 per cent of seabirds could have ingested plastic• Europeans use 200 plastic bags per person every year. Only 7 per cent of those are recycledSource: EU Commission for Environment, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries
photo: Gareth Fuller/PA Archive/PA Images
The amount of plastic waste ending up
in the oceans is reaching a critical point
JOINING THE FIGHT: Partcipating aquariums include: • Fundación Mundo Marino (Argentina); • Fundación Teimaken (Argentina); • Haus des Meeres (Austria);• Zoo Antwerpen (Belgium); • Vancouver Aquarium (Canada); l Ocean Park (Hong Kong); • Beijing aquarium (China); • Aquatika (Croatia); • Den Blå Planet (Denmark); • Cretaquarium (Greece); • Aquamarine Fukushima (Japan); l Bergen Aquarium (Norway); • Malta National Aquarium (Malta); • Moskvarium (Russia); • Two Oceans Aquarium (South Africa); • Georgia Aquarium, National Aquarium (US), plus tens more aquariums across France, Germany, Spain and the UK.
Karmenu Vella, European commissioner for environment, maritime affairs and fisheries
#OurOcean campaign material from the European Commission gives practical tips
Expo 2030 Riyadh is being planned as a permanent visitor destination, with organisers
confirming the six-million-square-metre site will become a Global Village after the event closes.
The owner of one of Australia's best-known waterparks has acquired a major competitor,
creating a new attractions business spanning two of the country's largest visitor destinations.
The Toverland theme park in the Netherlands has announced a €98m expansion programme
that will add a resort, new attractions and staff facilities as it pursues plans to become a multi-
day destination.
Hotel de France, located on the British Isle of Jersey, has created a wellness retreat package
that includes a hot yoga session that will take place in Jersey Zoo’s butterfly sanctuary.
A new immersive attraction designed to transport visitors into the final hours of ancient Pompeii
is preparing to open near the world-famous archaeological site in southern Italy.
Experience design company, BRC Imagination Arts, has completed a transition that sees founder
Bob Rogers pass ownership of the business to four long-serving senior executives, while
remaining actively involved with the company.
Movie Park Germany has opened a new Paramount Pictures-themed attraction as part of its 30th
anniversary celebrations, using immersive storytelling and adaptive reuse to reinforce the park’s
longstanding “Hollywood in Germany” positioning.
Therme Manchester’s 28-acre development, which will include interconnected glass pavilions
that measure 65,000sq m, will be the largest bathing and wellbeing attraction in the world once
complete, according to prof David Russell, CEO of Therme UK.
Efteling has opened Hooghmoed, a new family drop tower designed to broaden the appeal of its
recently launched Sirene Island themed area and introduce younger visitors to thrill attractions.
A proposed Puy du Fou development near Bicester and Universal Destinations and Experiences’
planned resort in Bedford are emerging as part of a wider transformation of the Oxford–
Cambridge Growth Corridor into a major centre for UK leisure and tourism inv
+ More news
COMPANY PROFILES
Taylor Made Designs Founded in 1993, Taylor Made
Designs supply corporate clothing
and brand-enhancing merchandise
to [more...]
Alterface Alterface’s Creative Division team is
seasoned in concept and ride development,
as well as storyte [more...]
TechnoAlpin Indoor TechnoAlpin is the world leader for snowmaking systems. With the Indoor snow division, TechnoAlpin c [more...]
Holovis Holovis is a privately owned company
established in 2004 by CEO Stuart
Hetherington. [more...]
