On June 8th of every year, ocean supporters all over the world come together within their communities to celebrate our relationship to the seas around us in honor of
World Oceans Day. This year, countless people and organizations worked to show the public how much we use the ocean and its products each and every day. Whether it is from the foods we eat, various toiletries we use, products imported from abroad, getting peace of mind on the beach, and even down to the very air we breath, we owe the ocean some serious appreciation! Originally proposed by Canada at the Rio de Janeiro Earth Summit in 1992, the day was officially recognized by the U.N. three years ago in 2008 and we have been celebrating every year since.
As you might imagine, our nation's capital was an excellent place to celebrate the occasion. As a highly engaged community, Washington naturally made this day into a whole week of festivities. Knauss fellows volunteered at Surfrider clean-ups on the Potomac, attended Smithsonian lectures including "Demystifying Sea Food" and "The Last Wild Places," and lined up at the Dept. of Commerce headquarters for the much anticipated NOAA Fish Fry. This latter event indeed drew quite a crowd. Hungry fellows were joined by NOAA employees and guests for an evening of sampling delicious seafood, enjoying live music, and making new friends. Vendors came from all over the country to show off their morsels and it was nearly impossible to see and taste it all. Many fellows debated about favorites, but the Gulf of Mexico shrimp and grits was among the most popular. At the end of the evening, everyone was smiling, steamed in the summer heat, and stuffed to the brim.
Of course, World Oceans Day wasn't only fun and frivolity. Leaders and decision-makers also gathered near the Capitol for a four day symposium to highlight research, policy, and outreach at the forefront of ocean management. But more to come on that later. At the end of the week, I was excited about all the new things I had learned but also a bit sad because I wish we could celebrate our oceans all year long - I know I do! Check out the
events that happened in your state (or country) as part of this years theme, "Youth: The Next Wave for Change" and make sure to put World Oceans Day on your calendar for next year!
On June 8th of every year, ocean supporters all over the world come together within their communities to celebrate our relationship to the seas around us in honor of World Oceans Day. This year, countless people and organizations worked to show the public how much we use the ocean and its products each and every day. Whether it is from the foods we eat, various toiletries we use, products imported from abroad, getting peace of mind on the beach, and even down to the very air we breath, we owe the ocean some serious appreciation! Originally proposed by Canada at the Rio de Janeiro Earth Summit in 1992, the day was officially recognized by the U.N. three years ago in 2008 and we have been celebrating every year since. 
As you might imagine, our nation's capital was an excellent place to celebrate the occasion. As a highly engaged community, Washington naturally made this day into a whole week of festivities. Knauss fellows volunteered at Surfrider clean-ups on the Potomac, attended Smithsonian lectures including "Demystifying Sea Food" and "The Last Wild Places," and lined up at the Dept. of Commerce headquarters for the much anticipated NOAA Fish Fry. This latter event indeed drew quite a crowd. Hungry fellows were joined by NOAA employees and guests for an evening of sampling delicious seafood, enjoying live music, and making new friends. Vendors came from all over the country to show off their morsels and it was nearly impossible to see and taste it all. Many fellows debated about favorites, but the Gulf of Mexico shrimp and grits was among the most popular. At the end of the evening, everyone was smiling, steamed in the summer heat, and stuffed to the brim.
Of course, World Oceans Day wasn't only fun and frivolity. Leaders and decision-makers also gathered near the Capitol for a four day symposium to highlight research, policy, and outreach at the forefront of ocean management. But more to come on that later. At the end of the week, I was excited about all the new things I had learned but also a bit sad because I wish we could celebrate our oceans all year long - I know I do! Check out the events that happened in your state (or country) as part of this years theme, "Youth: The Next Wave for Change" and make sure to put World Oceans Day on your calendar for next year!
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