World Oceans Day hopes to keep our waters clean and protect our marine life

PLEASURE ISLAND, NC (WWAY) — Every year on June 8th this date is recognized as World Oceans Day.

North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher held events for visitors to celebrate the day.

“The ocean plays such a big role in our life from the food we eat, like ice cream, our jobs especially along the coast and even our weather and climate,” said Educational Specialist Megan Ennes. “They are all regulated from our ocean.”

It’s important to keep our ocean clean, but many impacts to our marine life are reflected by the our choices.

“It’s vitally important as we go to the beach that we are conscious of things like plastic bags,” said Pleasure Island Sea Turtle Project Volunteer Pat Triplett.

Triplett has been volunteering for the Pleasure Island Sea Turtle Project for four year now. She says it’s crucial to not leave anything behind at the beach.

“Don’t forget to pick up things like toys, shovels, sunglasses, tops of sunscreen, tubes, any type of plastics that will float,” Triplett said.

This is especially important during this time of year because it is now sea turtle nesting season. Carolina Beach has two nests already and Kure Beach has two.

Jellyfish are one the main food sources, but plastic bags can often been mistakes for them. If eaten, that could led to the sea turtles dying.

Loggerheads turtles are currently classified as threatened because of that reason. This is one of the reasons why World Oceans Day is important in hopes of bringing awareness.

Triplett says, “If you find a sea turtle, if you are wondering around on the beach late at night and you see one, you can we have a phone number you can call for the sea turtle patrol but the best thing to do is to call 911.”

“There are easy ways for people to be involved and it’s a big problem, but hopelly if we all work together we can make a big difference,” said Ennes.

There will be turtle talks held in Kure Beach at 7 p.m. every Monday through August at Ocean Front Park. In Carolina Beach, the talks will be every Wednesday at 7 p.m. at the Carolina Beach State Park.

Click here for more information about the Pleasure Island Sea Turtle Project.