10 ways to be a better steward of the sea in 2023
With each new year comes new goals and resolutions, even if they are only short lived, the thought remains there. We’ve compiled a list of a few ideas that you could keep in mind or add to your goals list for 2023.
Reduce your plastic consumption
From bottle caps to water bottles and clothing, there is so much plastic in our lives and most of it is single use. This year consider swapping out plastic items for their plastic free alternatives. For example reusable bottles. Not only are they reusable, but many of the reusable ones will keep your drinks hotter or cooler for longer than their plastic counterparts.
Reduce your plastic output
So many of our day to day clothing items are made from synthetic plastics which break down, especially when we clean them. This year consider adding a filter like the one from Planet Care which can easily be placed inline on your washing machine drain output. We’ve been using one for the past several months and the amount of microfibers it has collected is significant.
Do a cleanup- on the beach, on the water, or under the water
No matter where you live, you can participate in a clean up or even do one by yourself or with your friends. All water leads to the ocean, so any amount you can do can help. If you are local to Southern California, make sure to sign up for our newsletter so you can join us when we host them.
Participate in a citizen science projects
Citizen Science can be significantly helpful when it comes to studying a species, an ecosystem, and or in a variety of other situations. While there might be a little bit of training involved to get started, it can be as simple as tagging fish, or sharing information about a find on iNaturalist. If you would like to learn more about fish tagging, please reach out and let us know, we would love to tell you about what we do and maybe get your started with some tagging of your own. No matter where your interest lies, there are many opportunities to participate in citizen science.
Write a letter to your representative supporting a balloon ban
Large scale change is sometimes top down and in order for that to take place we have to voice our opinions. We won’t go into it here, but make sure to check out our blog about the mylar balloons. They can have hugely devastating impacts on wildlife and infrastructure. We are tired of always pulling them out of the water and are working hard to help them get banned. If you would like help drafting a letter to your representative, send us a message and we can help you get started.
Think twice before you buy
It is easy to accumulate large amounts of plastic. Companies like Target, with their dollar section as you first walk in make it easy and fun. This year consider challenging yourself to think twice when you are making new purchases. Ask yourself- “Do I really need this?” “Will I use this more than once or twice?” and “Is this going to be around 200 years from now? Is it really worth it?” You might be surprised how much less clutter you have in your life and how much money you will save.
Share and connect
We are frequently posting on our social media, make sure to follow us and consider sharing our posts to help spread the word, you never know when you have the opportunity to teach someone something new. Additionally, by connecting with us on social media, you can stay up to date with things that are going on.
Get involved and stay up to date on current events
Similarly to staying connected with us on social media, staying involved not only with us, but also with your local current events is important. You never know when you will have the opportunity to voice your opinion on a mylar balloon ban or be able to speak in favor of limiting the use of single use plastic in your area. In 2022 Southern California took big steps towards single use plastic bans and we expect more to occur in 2023.
Get to know your local seafood vendors
Buying locally is important to your local economy and local business like seafood vendors. More than that, buying local is a great way to reduce your carbon footprint, so next time you need to grab some fresh shellfish or tilapia for dinner try to buy it locally and in season.
Study Pelagic fish
There isn’t a lot of information about the larger pelagic species of fish, which is one of the reasons we are interested in studying them. We would like to encourage you to visit our website and learn more about the different species or take it even further and start some scientific research of your own. Let’s make 2023 the year we make a new breakthrough in the study of pelagic species.
This list is just a few suggestions of goals you could have in 2023, but we would love to hear from you and learn what your goals are!