National marine week

BACKGROUND

National Marine Week is celebrated every year during the third week of October. Its purpose is to create awareness on the marine and coastal environment, the promotion of sustainable use and conservation of these resources, for the benefit of all both present and future generations.  As custodian of the marine resources in South Africa, the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism is the lead driver for National Marine Week. This year National Marine Week will be celebrated from 13 to 17 October 2008.

THEME

The theme for National Marine Week 2008 is:

Changing Climate, Changing Oceans and Coasts, Changing lives - All hands on deck!

Climate change is a reality. The scientific evidence for a rise in global temperature over the past century is unequivocal. Climate change is already impacting on people and ecosystems and further temperature rises will have increasingly detrimental effects. Our oceans and coasts are not exempted from climate change. And changes to our oceans and coasts directly impact on lives of people. We need to mitigate, adapt and inform- with all our hands on deck!