In June 1992, over 150 Heads of States signed the Convention on Biological Diversity at Rio de Janeiro. They did so to express a shared belief that action must be taken to halt the worldwide loss of animal and plant species and genetic resources. World Oceans Day was first declared as 8th June at the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro in 1992.

Events will occur all around the world on and around this day.

There will activities for the younger children, like colouring, face painting and competitions (please enquire for details) to make it a fun day out for all of the family.

Event:    Adur World Oceans Day
Date:      31 May 2003 (Saturday)
Venue:  Coronation Green, Shoreham-by-Sea, West Sussex
Theme:  Education  (not Campaigning)

Adur will be one of the leaders in the United Kingdom when it presents an exhibition celebrating the official World Oceans Day. The event will take place on Saturday 31 May 2003 in Shoreham-by-Sea, on Coronation Green at the start of the Adur Festival.
 

Get close up to a live lobster, hands on with a live crab, and meet close-up some of the fascinating life from sea off the Sussex coast; the exhibition of marine life to celebrate World Oceans Day occurs on Coronation Green, Shoreham-by-Sea, all day on Saturday 31st May 2003, is your chance to bring the whole family for a day out beside the river Adur. Admission is free and there are plenty of other things to do as the exhibition is part of the opening day of the Adur Festival. Other events include live performances of musicians for the whole day, a trip up to the top of St. Mary’s church with views over the town and much more.

Interactive

Adur Oceans Day is designed to be interactive with plenty to keep the children occupied with colouring competitions, information about whales and dolphins found around Britain provided by wildlife writer Steve Savage, complete with an inflatable life size bottle-nosed dolphin. The British Marine Life Study Society aquarium gives you opportunity to look in detail at the fish and other exotic animals found in the rock pools of the south coast. All the colourful exhibits are local and are just fraction of the strange life that is found beneath the waves. Experts will be on hand to answer queries about sea life, and the touch table display will enable beachcombers to compare strange wildlife objects found on the high tide strandline.

Fisheries

The Sussex Sea Fisheries District Committee will be presenting their own display of fishing nets with their own experts who will be able to explain about the regulations, fisheries and Sussex fishing. There will be also be information on sea birds and shingle plants above the high tide mark.
 

Len Nevell

Len Nevell of the British Marine Life Study Society has spent a lifetime with a specialist interest in marine life. He has a particular ability to communicate the lobsters with his supervised live animal exhibit with a younger audience. This backed up by the life support systems from the British Marine Life Study Society.
Peter Talbot-Elsden will present the unique shrimp table as part of the booklet he is publishing on the British shrimping industry.

Underwater Life

Not everybody is lucky enough to dive beneath the waves. Paul Parsons a marine life photographer will present his amazing photographs, giving an astonishing glimpse of the colourful and interesting life just off the local coast. There will be video and computer displays as well, so if the weather is a bit inclement there will still be plenty to see.
Seasearch, the nationwide marine biological recording scheme will be presenting an exhibition with Kate Cole.
The West Sussex County Council Countryside Unit “Ask a Ranger” exhibition and Adur District Council Environment will also be presenting displays of their work on seas and coastal zones.

Becalmed

Refreshments will be available both on Coronation Green and in the numerous cafes and eating places in nearby Shoreham High Street. Becalmed is an additional Adur Festival event run by the Shoreham Mental Health Association on the oceans theme to fit in with Adur World Oceans Day. Free fish tasting will be provided by Blunden’s Fish Shop.

Education

For serious students who wish to explore the subject in more detail we can provide more information from the British Marine Life Study Society library, web sites and internet forums.

PHOTOGRAPHIC OPPORTUNITIES  (Go to the Information Desk)

Photographic props include Len Nevell the children with the
Lobsters, spider crabs etc., and youngsters with the inflatable dolphin.

There is also the aquarium, the fishing nets and lobster pots, that could provide a picture.
 
 
 
 

Shoreham-by-Sea on World Oceans Day 2003 (Pen Picture)

Opportunities for Contributions

A BIODIVERSITY EXHIBITION will also be held in the Civic Centre Foyer for the duration of the Adur Festival. There is also display space for Ocean Projects on the Internet.
 

If you are interested and want to know more, please reply.

Contacts:

Andy Horton (British Marine Life Study Society)
Tel:  01273 465433
Fax:  none
EMail: Glaucus@hotmail.com
URL= http://www.glaucus.co.uk

Natalie Brahma-Pearl (Adur District Council)  Tel:   01273  263347