Wherever we live in the UK, we’re all connected to the sea. For this year’s National Marine Week, we’re celebrating this connection and highlighting why a healthy, thriving marine environment matters.
As an island nation, we have a long history with the seas that surround us. For centuries, they have inspired artists, poets and storytellers. They have provided livelihoods for fishers, sailors, shipwrights and many other professions. The seas have shaped our economy, our culture and other aspects of life in the UK.
Many of us also feel a personal connection to the sea. This connection could be through a hobby, a job, or cherished memories of holidays on the coast. A single moment can cause these happy memories to come rushing in like the tide. It could be the sound of calling gulls, or the smell of fish and chips. In an instant we’re transported back to the coast, feeling sand between our toes, or the cool touch of the water on our skin.
This connection to the sea can bring benefits to our well-being. There’s plenty of evidence that time by the sea can improve our health, body and mind. The science is supporting what we’ve known for a long time, perhaps since the 1700s when holidays to the beach first became popular – we feel better when we’re by the sea.
But we all share a deeper connection to the sea, even if we’ve never set foot on the beach. The sea’s influence reaches far beyond the shore. It affects our climate, what we eat, and even the air we breathe.
The carbon connection
It’s widely recognised that the climate crisis is one of the biggest threats facing the world. But what’s less well known is the role the seas play in storing carbon. Oceans absorb 20-35% of human made CO2 emissions every year. Much of this carbon is then locked away in different marine habitats.
Seagrass is probably the most famous example. Growing in wavy green meadows, these underwater plants provide a home for lots of different wildlife. They also capture carbon in their leaves and store it in the sediments bound by their roots.
Other habitats are more often overlooked. The mud, sand and other mineral particles that cover the sea floor hold huge amounts of carbon. Plants and animals in the sea take in carbon and store it in their body. When they die, they sink to the sea floor and some of the carbon is transferred into the mud. Over time, this results in vast amounts of carbon being stored for thousands of years – so long as the sea floor isn’t disturbed.
This is just one of countless ways in which the seas quietly influence our lives. They provide food for many people, from shellfish to seaweeds. Some of the energy used in our homes and businesses comes from sea, generated by offshore wind farms. Almost everyone will have purchased goods imported to the UK by boat, or accessed the internet through a cable beneath the Atlantic ocean.
Ocean action
This National Marine Week, we’re celebrating our connection to the sea. But it’s also a time to remember that this connection goes both ways. The sea affects our lives, but our actions also affect the sea. Wherever we live, there are lots of things we can do at home to help the sea, such as purchasing less plastic, being careful what we flush down drains, or taking steps to lower our carbon footprint. These little actions can help us remember our connection to the sea, even when we can’t hear the breaking waves or smell the sea air.
Throughout National Marine Week, we’ll be sharing stories about how people connect to the sea. Whether it’s through a memory, a hobby, a livelihood, or an action they take to help. We’ll be adding these stories to a map, to show just how far the sea’s influence reaches.
