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Planet Ocean

Film of California's Central Coast Kelp Forest — We provide here a film of the marine life to be found in the kelp forests off California's Central Coast. The marine life in these kelp forests is some of the most diverse in the world and this exceptional film and commentary, made by Terry Lilley (marine biologist and former pro-surfer) and his assistant Sue Sloan, records a world of extraordinary beauty, colour and diversity.

Sea Shepherd commences new campaign in the Southern Ocean — We provide here a link to the Sea Shepherd website where Captain Paul Watson provides the background, in interview format, to the 2011/12 Sea Shepherd campaign in the Southern Ocean to halt whaling by Japan. This is the eighth campaign that Sea Shepherd will have undertaken in the Southern Ocean.

Whales and their survival — We provide here an illustrated guide to the main types of Whales in our oceans, along with their conservation status and other key information, courtesy of the BBC. In addition we publish here an article by captain Paul Watson of the Sea Shepherd organisation who explains the unique nature and importance of whales, and why whales continue to need to be protected. We also provide here links to some other principal organisations concerned with the conservation of whales.

North Pacific and Alaska Humpback Whale population recovering from near extinction — Humpback whales of the North Pacific and Alaska have rebounded dramatically from near extinction half a century ago and now number at least 21,000 animals, according to the most comprehensive count of the species ever undertaken.

We provide here a copy of our publication The Ocean Planet — In this publication we review the serious challenges which our seas and oceans now face, and we outline proposals for fundamental changes in marine management to solve this crisis.

This new approach to management, built on the ecosystem-based approach, requires the return of sovereignty to the seas and oceans so that the integrity of their ecosystems has primacy — a primacy that must be recognised in the three pillared definition of sustainability which encompasses conservation and the economic and social uses of the sea.

As a result, management will in future be based on the immediate aim of licensing all human activities in the seas and oceans, including fishing, so that no activity occurs unless it can show that it is either leading to a restoration of biodiversity, or will have no adverse impact on the ecosystems upon which that biodiversity depends. Out of this this licensing of all activity will emerge the new fundamental management principle for our seas and oceans — all seas and oceans possess their own sovereignty and have an inherent right to exist in a sound natural condition, and thus should be managed as if they are a single, universal marine reserve.

Great British Marine Animals — We provide here an introduction to the many different types of marine animals and creatures who live in Britain's seas and coastal waters, along with illustrations courtsey of Paul Naylor, marine photographer. This illustrated guide covers sponges, cnidarians (e.g. sea anemones, jellyfish), worms, crustaceans, molluscs, bryzoans, echinoderms (e.g. starfish, sunstars), sea quirts, and fish. The guide shows the extraordinary range of animals that live in our seas, and provides an insight into their nature and character.

MARINET's video on The Impact of Offshore Aggregate Dredging

MARINET's 24 minute video presentation on Marine Aggregate Dredging providing a balanced view from all stakeholders, can be seen by clicking below. Although some of content is now several years old, the points of view remain topical. It is presented in three parts which may be played sequentially or individually.