Ghost Net Removal Mission & Underwater Livestream. Event Press Kit

Transcription

1 Ghost Net Removal Mission & Underwater Livestream Friday, June 8th 2018 Event Press Kit May 2018 ORGANISED BY: DIVING PARTNERS: UNDER THE AUSPICES OF: EXCLUSIVE SPONSOR: The Municipality of Thira

2 Organisers

3 The mission of 'Healthy Seas, a Journey from Waste to Wear' initiative is to remove waste, in particular, fishing nets from the seas for the purpose of creating healthier seas and recycling marine litter into textile products. The recovered fishing nets will be transformed and regenerated by Aquafil into ECONYL yarn, a high-quality raw material used to create new products, such as socks, swimwear or carpets. The discarded, lost, or abandoned fishing nets are sometimes called ghost nets, since they continue to catch fish and other marine animals without human involvement. Millions of marine animals, including sharks, dolphins, seals and turtles suffer because of entanglement in these nets which leads to serious injuries and death eventually. By uniting a community of divers who are concerned about the marine environment, Cousteau Divers brings the legacy of Jacques-Yves Cousteau to life, making each diver an agent of the study and conservation of the aquatic realm.

4 Diving Partners

5 Since our start, the Ghost Fishing Foundation has been collaborating worldwide with various local groups of technical divers and salvage companies to remove lost fishing gear. With projects in The Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Croatia, Malta, Greece, United Kingdom and United States we work on existing projects, set up new ones and document these through visual media, informing a wide audience and raising social awareness. We exchanges solutions and best practices by maintaining a steady stream of information through social media, and a website that offers extensive information and possibilities for interaction. Atlantis is a member of PADI, the world wide trusted Professional Association of Diving Instructors, and scuba diving training organization. We are also one of the few Cousteau Dive Centres in the world, which highlights our commitment to protecting the environment,

6 Exclusive Sponsor

7 Carvico was established in 1962 and soon became the global leader in the production of stretch warp knit fabrics for swimwear, sportswear and outerwear. Synonymous to Italian excellence but with an International spirit, Carvico is efficient and high quality, consistently innovating and eco-friendly. Promoting and supporting environmental sustainability means for Carvico investing in the present to live a better future by implementing a set of innovative policies aimed at creating a truly sustainable supply chain contributing to the establishment of a circular economy model. Its corporate vision revolves around respect for both man and the environment, and has led the Company to commit to safeguard the wellbeing of its staff, the local communities and the global ecosystem through several really sustainable projects. Nature s Voice is the name Carvico has selected to express its commitment towards nature. Carvico has been supporting the Healthy Seas Initiative since For more information:

8 The Event

9 Ghost Net Removal On June 8th, World Oceans Day, together with diving partners Ghost Fishing and Atlantis Dive Center, we will be removing a huge ghost net from the depths of the Aegean Sea. During recent survey dives, lost or discarded fishing nets and long-lines were spotted in several popular fishing and diving spots around Santorini. With the help of local fishermen, the lost fishing gear will be safely recovered from the areas and delivered to Aquafil by the Healthy Seas initiative for recycling through the ECONYL Regeneration System. Education & Live Streaming Pierre-Yves Cousteau will be describing the diving mission in live stream from beneath the waves and answering your questions. Ask him what you want to know on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter using #SaveYourBreath To this day, there is no record of live streaming done in the diving world for educational purposes. Our goal is to inspire and educate the public, especially children and that is why we invite everyone to tune in to our Facebook event: 119/ Pierre-Yves Cousteau

10 Santorini and the first Marine Protected Area

11 After several years of discussions and consensus building with the local stakeholders, the professional fishermen of Santorini gave their unanimous approval for the creation of the first marine protected area on March 15th A well-managed, well-sized, well-protected marine sanctuary will have a positive impact on the marine environment while also generating substantial economic benefits for the island of Santorini, extending the touristic season beyond the summer months and creating jobs, in addition to helping fish stocks replenish to ensure the livelihoods of fishing communities. Cousteau Divers initiated and supervises the project since 2011, working with the HCMR (Hellenic Center for Marine Research) to baseline the ecosystems of Santorini and with Submon to create a management plan for the area. On June 8th, our divers will be performing the first ever lost or abandoned fishing gear clean up action at the location which will become the MPA, helping to raise awareness and contributing to a swift and well-placed designation. Photo Credit: Pierre-Yves Cousteau / Cousteau Divers

12 The Problem: Ghost nets

13 According to UNEP and FAO reports, every year some 640,000 tonnes of fishing gear are left in the seas and oceans. It is a global problem that requires urgent action. Ghost nets are plastic waste which remain in the seas for hundreds of years and continue to catch and kill marine animals every single day. In the meantime, they lose tiny little pieces, so called microplastic, which then further pollutes the seas, gets into the stomach of fish, etc. and eventually ends up in our food chain and in our body. At present, the Healthy Seas initiative is operating in Europe, focusing on the North Sea, Adriatic and Mediterranean Sea, all regions important for biodiversity and tourism, where waste fishing nets are collected with the involvement of various stakeholders such as divers, salvage companies, fishermen and fish farms.

14 The Solution: Circular Economy & Regeneration

15 There are several important initiatives to clean up and safeguard the seas. The nets collected by Healthy Seas are not sent into landfills or burned. Instead, they are recycled in order to create high-quality products what the public, the consumers can recognize and choose. And with their choice of buying something good, they support a good cause and this way more sea clean-ups can be organized. Sustainability is the focus, from both the environmental and economic point of view. The fishnets collected by Healthy Seas divers and fishermen, including the ones in Santorini, are first cleaned, sorted and afterwards are delivered to an Aquafil plant in Ljubljana, Slovenia, where they are prepared for the ECONYL regeneration system. Linear industrial processes are about "Make, Use, Dispose" and create products that eventually end up in landfills or in incinerators. It s a loss which comes with a price both for the economy and for the environment. In a circular economy waste is a resource. REGENERATION & FOUNDING PARTNER OF HEALTHY SEAS:

16 Minoan Dolphin Mosaic

17 Dolphins, some of the most fascinating sea creatures, are not only a symbol of friendship and solidarity but their role as hunters is crucial for maintaining the balance in the marine ecosystem as they eat the unhealthy fish, thus preventing infectious diseases from spreading. The event s artwork was created by internationally established visual designer, Charis Tsevis. The Save Your Breath visual, is a mosaic that consists of over 1,500 photographs from activities of the Healthy Seas Initiative from the past 5 years. The mosaic recreates the dolphin fresco found in Knossos in the late Minoan period. Minoan civilisation was born and developed in Crete 5000 years ago. Somewhere around 2000 and 1600 BC, the Minoans took over Santorini and settled in Akrotiri. One of the most common themes in Minoan art is nature. The Save Your Breath event in Santorini was a long time dream for the Healthy Seas team and we wanted our visual communication to represent that. The Minoan dolphin mosaic depicts an abundnant marine scene which is the ultimate goal of the Healthy Seas Initiative. Dolphin fresco in Knossos

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19 #SaveYourBreath on the web: healthyseas.org/save-your-breath-santorini/ For recent Press Releases visit: healthyseas.org/category/blog/ For more information or to request an interview, please contact: Jenny Ioannou Communications Coordinator Healthy Seas, a Journey from Waste to Wear Join our journey - We would be proud to have you on board!