We have much to celebrate this Earth Day, April 22!! A growing number of people all over the world are changing their attitudes and behaviours towards plastic. Recognizing how harmful plastic is to marine life and fragile ecosystems, people are taking actions, fins on and fins off, to see a significant reduction in plastic waste and stop the ugly journey of our trash. 2018 is also the third International Year of the Reef! With new evidence showing that the human population’s obsession with all things plastic is also poisoning coral reefs, the growing movement for a world without plastic pollution gives us hope.

This Earth Day, April 22, Jack Fishman, Project AWARE’s New Community Conservation Officer, shares his hands-on experience and thoughts on how local actions through Adopt a Dive Site™ and Dive Against Debris® are leading the global effort to tackle the marine debris crisis.

A year after denouncing Turkey for the landing of 30 Endangered Giant Devil Rays, the Shark League is applauding the country for announcing protections for this and 13 other species of rays and sharks. The fish are being added to the government’s list of prohibited species, which until now included only five kinds of sharks.